Poetic Terms Dictionary
Technique

Juxtaposition

From Latin juxta (near) + positio (placement). The structural principle behind antithesis, montage, and much modernist poetic technique.

Definition

The placement of two contrasting elements side by side so that their differences are heightened by proximity.

Example

Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience: 'The Lamb' and 'The Tyger' juxtapose naivety and dangerous energy.

Related Terms

Antithesis Paradox Contrast Montage