(ENG4U1AP) Poetic Terms Flashcards
Define:
Assonance
The repetition of similar vowel sounds within words
Define:
Alliteration
The repetition of a consonant, usually at the beginning of words
True or False:
Alliteration was the primary poetic device of the English language
True
What is the function(s) of alliteration(s)?
Tends to speed up a line (repeated consonants allow the reader to quickly read the line aloud with an often humorous or light-hearted effect)
What is the function(s) of assonance?
Reverse of alliteration, tends to slow a line down (repeated vowel sounds are difficult to navigate, creating an often sombre, serious, or dramatic effect)
Define:
Blank Verse
Consists of lines of iambic pentameter that are unrhymed
What is - in most part - written in blank verse?
Shakespeare’s plays
What is the function(s) of blank verse?
Has a flowing natural sound that closely mimics the rhythms of the English language
True or False:
Blank Verse is not a popular verse form for longer works of poetry
False, it is a popular verse form for longer works of poetry because it is a fairly easy structure to write in
Define:
Caesura
A strong pause that falls within a line of poetry, often in the middle of the line
What is the function(s) of a caesura?
The unexpected stop a caesura brings stresses the line, and brings particular attention to the words directly surrounding it
Define:
Chiasmus
A sequence of two phrases or clauses which are parallel in syntax, but with a reversal in the order of the corresponding words
What is the function(s) of a chiasmus?
Attention-grabbing poetic device that provides a point of strong emphasis
True or False:
Chiasmus should not be overused in a poem
True
Define:
Contrast
The intended placement of contrasting words, ideas or sounds near each other
What is the function(s) of contrast?
Used to bring attention to the differences between words, ideas or sounds
What is the difference between oxymoron and contrast?
Oxymoron strives to connect two opposing things into one unified though
Contrast strives to exaggerate the differences between them
Define:
Diction
Refers to the overall word choice and type of language used by a poet
Where does the word “diction” come from?
Latin ‘dico’, meaning ‘to say’
What is the function(s) of diction? (2)
Diction usually matches his or her subject matter and message
Sometimes, a writer might purposefully mismatch diction and subject matter for humorous or ironic effect
Define:
Dissonance
The use of harsh-sounding, usually consonant-laden language
What is the function(s) of dissonance?
Often used to give a line a harsh, violent or unpleasant sound
What is dissonance also known as?
A cacophony
Define:
Enjambement
Occurs in poetry when an idea or sentence runs over the end of a line and into the next line - thus ‘striding over’ the natural line break
Where does the word “enjambement” come from?
French, means ‘striding over’
What is the function(s) of enjambement? (2)
Provides for a variety of sentence lengths in a poem
Holds the reader’s interest as the poem flows from one line to another
Define:
Euphony
The use of gentle-sounding, pleasant language with soft vowel and consonant sounds
What is the function(s) of an euphony?
Often used to give a line a soft, soothing or pleasant sound (it’s a common trait of romantic love poetry)
What is the opposite of dissonance (cacophony)?
Euphony
What is the opposite of euphony?
Dissonance (cacophony)
Define:
Free Verse
Poetry that does not have the regular stress patterns or rhythms of traditional poetry
What is the difference between free verse poetry and prose?
Free verse poetry is broken down into verse form
What is the function(s) of free verse poetry? (3)
Though it lacks a formal structure, it gives a poem a freedom that other poetic structures lack
Allows a poet to explore images and sounds without worrying about metre
Usually reproduces the natural rhythms of speech, thus sounds less formal than other structures
Define:
Onomatopoeia
The use of a word (or combination or words) whose sound seems to resemble the thing it denotes
What is the function(s) of an onomatopoeia? (2)
Creates a dramatic or shocking effect and stresses the line containing it
Can also make descriptive passages more effective
Define:
Oxymoron
A word or phrase that links opposite concepts together
Where does the word “oxymoron” come from?
German, literally meaning ‘wise-dumb’
What is the function(s) of an oxymoron?
Often used to communicate ambiguity, or to describe an emotion or situation with two contrasting sides
Define:
Paradox
A statement that seems at first glance to be self-contradictory or absurd, yet turns out to make good sense
What is the function(s) of a paradox?
Can get a reader to think deeply about an image, situation or theme
Who were paradoxes popular with? Why?
Metaphysical poets
They would often present a paradox at the beginning of a poem, and then gradually prove the paradox to be true
Define:
Parallel Structure
The repetition of sentence structure or verse structure in a poem
What is the function(s) of parallel structure?
Serves to connect or contrast different words, ideas or lines
Define:
Repetition
The repeating of words or phrases multiple times in a single poem
What is the function(s) of repetition? (2)
Serves to stress the repeated words or phrases, making their importance clear to the reader
When used sparingly, can be a very effective way to make an impact on the reader
Define:
Rhyme
A similarity in the sounds of words
True or False:
Rhyming has become one of the least important poetic devices of the English language
False, rhyming has become one of the primary poetic devices of the English language
In poetry, the _______ words may occur at the ____ of lines, or _____ in the ______ of a line may _____
Rhyming
Ends
Words
Middle
Rhyme
What are the function(s) of rhyme? (3)
Connects different words through sound, bringing attention to their similarities or their differences
Helps a poem flow smoothly and often has a musical effect on verse
Can also convey innocence or childishness in a poem, as it is a common feature in children’s poems
Define:
Rhyme Scheme
A method of charting the rhymes in poetry that occur at the ends of lines
What is the function(s) of a rhyme scheme? (4)
Can affect the overall sound and flow of the stanzas
Can be used to stress certain lines
Can be used to connect different lines or stanzas together through sound
Some poetic forms have a predetermined rhyme scheme that must be obeyed
What two examples of poetic forms have a predetermined rhyme scheme that must be obeyed?
Villanelles
Sonnets
Define:
Rhyming couplet
A unit of two adjacent rhyming lines in poetry
Define:
Heroic couplet
A rhyming couplet featuring an iambic pentameter rhythm scheme
What are the function(s) of rhyming couplets? (2)
Sometimes placed at the ends of poems to provide a strong conclusion (close-set rhymes in a couplet have a powerful aural effect, and draw attention to the lines)
Some poems are composed entirely of rhyming couplets to imbue the verse with a logical and carefully arranged sound structure
Whose works are composed entirely of rhyming couplets?
Alexander Pope
Define:
Rhythm
Refers to the beat, or the pattern of lightly and heavily stressed syllables, in a line of poetry
How are lightly and heavily stressed syllables indicated?
A stress is usually indicated by a slash (/) written over the stressed syllable
An unstressed syllable is indicated with a shallow u (U)
Define:
Metre
The type of foot and the number of feet per line
What are the basic rhythmic feet? (4)
Iamb
Trochee
Anapest
Dactyl
State the adjective form, structure, and function of:
Iamb
Iambic
Unstressed, stressed
Most commonly used rhythm in English poetry (closely mirrors the sound of English speech, gives poems a natural, flowing tone)
State the adjective form, structure, and function of:
Trochee
Trochaic
Stressed, unstressed
Has a forceful, command-like or exclamatory sound (imbues a poem with a forceful and strong voice)
State the adjective form, structure, and function of:
Anapest
Anapestic
Unstressed, unstressed, stressed
Seldom used in English, has a forceful marching beat that lends itself well to military songs and anthems
Recently experienced a surge in popularity due to rap artists (using it for its forceful beat)
State the adjective form, structure, and function of:
Dactyl
Dactylic
Stressed, unstressed, unstressed
Has a soft, lilting rhythm that closely suggests a waltz, sometimes used in romantic verse
What are substitution feets? List them (3)
These individual feet are sometimes inserted into another rhyme scheme for special effect
Spondee
Phyrric Foot
Trochee
State the adjective form, structure, and function of:
Spondee
Spondaic
Stressed, stressed
Inserted into other rhythm schemes to create a strong point of stress
State the adjective form, structure, and function of:
Phyrric Foot
Phyrric
Unstressed, unstressed
Inserted into other rhythm schemes to speed up a line, often used for merely functional purposes (difficult to write in a strict rhythm scheme without inserting the odd Phyrric foot)
State the adjective form, structure, and function of:
Trochee
Trochaic
Stressed, unstressed
When used as a substitution foot, individual trochees are thrown into an iambic rhythm to provide a point of stress
Define:
Scansion
The practice of analysing a poem to determine the metre
How does one begin the scansion process? What is the next step after?
Identify the rhythmic foot being used
Count the number of feet contained in each line of poetry
ONE foot per line, the metre is called _________
TWO feet per line, the metre is called _______
THREE feet per line, the metre is called ________
FOUR feet per line, the metre is called __________
FIVE feet per line, the metre is called __________
SIX feet per line, the metre is called _________
SEVEN feet per line, the metre is called __________
EIGHT feet per line, the metre is called _________
Monometre
Dimetre
Trimetre
Tetrametre
Pentametre
Hexametre
Heptametre
Octametre
If a line contains five iambic feet, it is called:
Iambic Pentametre
If a line contains three dactylic feet, it is called:
Dactylic Trimetre
If a line contains eight trochaic feet, it is called:
Trochaic Octametre
True or False:
Some metres are given other names as well
True
What is a line of six iambic feet (iambic hexametre) also known as?
An Alexandrine
What is a line of seven iambic feet (iambic heptametre) also known as?
A fourteener
What is a feminine ending? How does that affect the poem?
A line that closes with an unstressed syllable
Gives poems a soft, gentle sound
What is a masculine ending? How does that affect the poem?
A line that closes with a stressed syllable
Gives poems a stronger, more forceful feel
Define:
Shape
The arrangement of the words on the page
What is the function(s) of shape? (2)
May aid in communication of the theme
Can bring attention to a certain area of the poem or visualise an important idea
How can shape be used in poetry? (2)
Can be used obviously (e.x. a poem about a tree shaped like a tree)
Can be used subtlly through indentation and margin size
Define:
Stanza
A grouped collection of lines in a poem
Stanza is to poetry as the _________ is to prose
Paragraph
Define:
Couplet
A stanza with two (usually rhyming) lines
Define:
Tercet
A stanza with three lines (two of which often rhyme)
Define:
Quatrain
A stanza with four lines
Define:
Sestet
A stanza with six lines
Define:
Rhyme Royal
A stanza with seven lines and the rhyme scheme ABABBCC
Define:
Octet
A stanza with eight lines
Define:
Ottava Rima
A stanza with eight lines and the rhyme scheme ABABABCC
Define:
Spenserian stanza
The longest common stanza type in English
Consists of nine lines, the first eight iambic pentameter and the last iambic hexameter, rhyming ABABBCBCC
What is the function(s) of stanzas?
Like paragraphs, stanzas group ideas and images together
Provide structure and form to a poem
Variation of stanza length can serve to draw attention to certain lines
Longer stanzas usually give a poem a ______, ________ sound
Formal
Highbrow
Shorter stanzas give a poem a ________, ______ sound
Succinct
Direct
Define:
Verse
A single line of poetry - the basic unit of a poem
A verse is to poetry as a ________ is to prose
Sentence
What is the function(s) of verses?
Group words together to form ideas
