Literary Elements Flashcards
Sonnet
a poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes
Iambic pentameter
5 metric feet consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable
Blank verse
an unrhymed play
Metaphor
comparison without using like or as
Simile
comparison of two unlike things using like or as
Allusion
refers to an outside work of literature or historical event or art
Pun
fun play on words
Paradox
A statement that seems false but is true
Personification
giving human traits to nonhuman objects
Aside
a character talks that only the audience can hear
Dramatic Irony
when the reader knows something that the characters are unaware of
Situational Irony
when the outcome is different than what was expected
Couplet
set of two lines in a poem or writing that complete one thought
Foil
a character whose personality is the opposite of another
Foreshadowing
to give a hint to what will happen later in the story
Soliloquy
a speech given when the character is alone and by themselves
Monologue
Long speech made by a character
Oxymoron
two words that contrast each other
Hyperbole
an exaggerated expression
Rhythm
the beat of a poem
Rhyme
a regular pattern of endings
Tone
the attitude that a character or narrator or author takes towards a given subject
Diction
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing
Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work
