Literary notes about Seldom (AI summary)
The term "seldom" is frequently used to accentuate infrequency or exception in literary contexts. It serves to mark actions or qualities that occur rarely, thereby imbuing a sense of uniqueness and measured cadence to the narrative. For instance, in historical prose it emphasizes that certain conditions or behaviors hardly ever recur, as when bravery is noted as hardly needing encouragement ([1]) or peace is described as a rare state over Europe ([2]). In character descriptions, it suggests traits of exceptional merit or peculiarity, such as the unique self-sacrifice of a heroine ([3]) or a speech pattern that speaks volumes about a person’s reserve ([4]). Even in works addressing natural phenomena and technical observations, the word conveys that occurrences are not only infrequent but noteworthy ([5], [6]). This careful usage across diverse contexts highlights the power of "seldom" to subtly reinforce the rarity and distinctiveness of people, actions, and moments.