Paradox
A paradox is a statement which seems on its face to be logically contradictory or absurd, yet turns out to be interpretable in a way that makes good sense. The paradox is used occasionally by almost all poets, but was a persistent and central device in 17th century metaphysical poetry, both in its religious and secular forms. Paradox is also a frequent component in verbal wit.
If the paradoxical utterance conjoins two terms that in ordinary usage are contraries, it is called an oxymoron. The oxymoron was familiar in Elizabethan love poetry, in phrases such as 'pleasing pains,' 'I burn and freeze,' 'loving hate.' It is also a frequent feature in devotional prose and religious poetry as a way of expressing the Christian mysteries, which transcend human sense and logic.
If the paradoxical utterance conjoins two terms that in ordinary usage are contraries, it is called an oxymoron. The oxymoron was familiar in Elizabethan love poetry, in phrases such as 'pleasing pains,' 'I burn and freeze,' 'loving hate.' It is also a frequent feature in devotional prose and religious poetry as a way of expressing the Christian mysteries, which transcend human sense and logic.
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