lit terms Flashcards
allegory
a symbolical narrative
archetype
A symbol, theme, setting, or character‐type that recurs in different times and places
foreshadowing
to show or indicate beforehand; prefigure
villanelle
A poem composed of an uneven number (usually five) of tercets rhyming aba, with a final quatrain rhyming abaa
motif
A situation, incident, idea, image, or character‐type that is found in many different literary works, folktales, or myths
symbolism
using anything that stands for or represents something else beyond it—usually an idea conventionally associated with it.
annotation
a critical or explanatory note or body of notes added to a text.
meter
poetic measure; arrangement of words in regularly measured, patterned, or rhythmic lines or verses.
poetic syntax
the way in which linguistic elements (as words) are put together to form phrases or clauses
poetic form
various sets of “rules” followed by poems of certain types
explication
analysis or interpretation, esp of a literary passage or work
caesura
A pause in a line of verse, often coinciding with a break between clauses or sentences
act
one of the main divisions of a play
antagonist
a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another
aside
a part of an actors lines meant only to be heard by the audience
catastrophe
the point at which the circumstances overcome the central motives, introducing the close or conclusion
catharsis
the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through art
character
a person represented in drama
climax
a decisive moment that is the maximum intensity or is a major turning point in a plot
comic relief
and amusing scene to release the tension
conflict
a fight, battle, or struggle
crisis
a turning point
denouement
the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot
deusexmachina
any artificial or improbable device resolving the difficulties of a plot
drama
a play
epilogue
a concluding part added to the end of a novel or play
exposition
dialogue, description, etc. that gives the audience or readers the background of the characters and the present situation
enjabement
(striding over) the running on of the thought from one line, couplet, or stanza to the next without a syntactical break
falling action
the part of a literary plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved
farce
a light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather than upon the development of characters
foil
a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast
frame story
a story that contains other stories
hero
the principal male character in a story
hubris
pride that destroys
iambic tetrameter
a form of meter used in poetry consisting of four feet which feature a syllable that is unstressed followed by a stressed syllable
monologue
a part of a drama in which a single actor speaks alone
metonymy
a figure of speech; compares two things where the one thing is compared to another thing tha is commonly connected with it but is not a part of it
prologue
an introductory part of a play, discourse, poem, or novel
protagonist
the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work
play
a dramatic performance, as on the stage
rising action
a related series of incidents in a literary plot that build toward the point of greatest interest
scene
a division of a play or of an act of a play, usually representing what passes between certain of the actors in one place
soliloquy
a devise in drama to disclose a character’s innermost thoughts
stanza
an arrangement of a certain number of lines, usually four or more, sometimes having a fixed length, meter, or rhyme scheme, forming a division of a poem
senecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent a whole
tragedy
a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society to downfall or destrucion
tragic flaw
the character defect that causes the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy
villain
a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot
