english odyssey quiz Flashcards
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
alliteration
an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.
allusion
norms for how tales are told in the epic tradition, and they help readers understand the world of the epic. They are characteristics that are common to both types of epics
epic conventions
the main character in an epic poem
epic hero
a long narrative poem that often tells the story of a hero’s adventures and heroic deeds that are important to the poet’s culture
epic poem
a narrative device that interrupts the story’s chronological sequence to show events that happened before the current moment
flashback
extended comparisons that are often found in epic poems and compare something strange or unfamiliar to something ordinary and familiar.
Homeric simile
Joseph Campbell described the hero’s journey as occurring in a cycle consisting of three phases: Departure, where the hero leaves his comfortable and familiar world and ventures into the darkness of the unknown; Initiation, where the hero is subjected to a series of tests in which he must prove his character; and Return, in which the hero brings the boon of his quest back for the benefit of his people.
Hero’s journey (Campbell)
“In the middle” a story that begins part way through its plot, with the missing events filled in later through dialogue, flashbacks, or other techniques.
in medias res
a convention in which a poet asks a muse or deity for help composing a poem, especially for inspiration
invocation to the Muse
a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
metaphor
the systematic arrangement of words in poetry that involves stressed and unstressed syllables
meter
Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication in which knowledge, art, ideas and culture are received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another.
oral tradition - literature
a literary device that uses figurative language to give human characteristics to nonhuman things, such as animals, objects, or abstract concepts
personification
rhyme that occurs in the last words of each line in a poem.
rhyme – external
rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry,
rhyme - internal
a figure of speech that compares two things that are not related using the words “like” or “as”
simile
an adjective or adjectival phrase that describes a person, place, or thing’s characteristic quality or attribute
stock epithet
immortal, powerful beings who influence different aspects of life and interact with humans
Greek Gods & Goddesses
a religious belief that there is only one god, or that God is one.
monotheism
each of nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.
the Muses
long, difficult, or complicated journey, often with a goal in mind, and can be a physical, spiritual, or psychological journey.
odyssey
the belief in and worship of multiple gods
polytheism
a young man who tries to convince a woman to marry him
suitor
