Literary notes about throng (AI summary)
The word throng is employed in literature to evoke vivid images of large, dense gatherings that are often charged with emotional or thematic significance. Authors use it to describe both the physical mass of people and the atmosphere surrounding them—sometimes as a disorderly crowd that suddenly transforms into order ([1], [2]), while in other instances it symbolizes the noble assembly of heroes or dignitaries ([3], [4]). In epic narratives and historical accounts, throng not only quantifies the multitude but also conveys the underlying tension, be it the chaotic rush of battle or the reverence of an admiring public ([5], [6]). Moreover, its application extends to scenes of communal celebration or public protest, creating a dynamic sense of movement and collective spirit ([7], [8]), and thereby enhancing the sensory impact of the narrative.
- Discipline prevailed: in five minutes the confused throng was resolved into order, and comparative silence quelled the Babel clamour of tongues.
— from Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Charlotte Brontë - This was unfortunate, for already there was a throng before the door.
— from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair - Nor did the son of Anchises escape the notice of white-armed Juno, as he went forth into the throng to meet Achilles.
— from The Iliad by Homer - Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.
— from Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare - And in that throng he smote down the King of Northgalis, and brake his thigh in that fall.
— from Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume 1 by Sir Thomas Malory - The lofty ramparts, through the martial throng, And finds the heroes bathed in sweat and gore, Opposed in combat on the dusty shore.
— from The Iliad by Homer - A throng of surprised and admiring listeners was continually round her, and she had never been so fascinating.
— from White Nights and Other Stories by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - An armed throng was passing, and a terrified throng looked on.
— from Les Misérables by Victor Hugo