Beowulf Terms Flashcards
the repetition of initial constant sounds
alliteration
a reference in one piece of literature to a person, place, or event in another piece of literature
allusion
the repetition of initial vowel sounds
assonance
an extra implied meaning which has come about through usage
connotation
the dictionary definition of a word
denotation
a sad, mournful poem, often a lament for the dead
elegy
a long, narrative poem in which a hero saves his people
epic
a picturesque two-word term for a common thing
kenning
focuses on an emotion or a mood; may refer to incidents, but does not tell a story
lyric
a comparison of two essentially unlike things without using “like” or “as”
metaphor
tells a story
narrative
using words that sound like what they mean
onomatopoeia
a literary device in which nature (the weather) seems to reflect the emotions of a character or the mood of the piece.
pathetic fallacy
a literary device which attributes human characteristics to non-human things
personification
a comparison of two essentially unlike things using “like” or “as”
simile
