literary elements Flashcards
alliteration
the repetition of accented consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to each other
bathos
ridiculous over exaggeration in language or thought that is outwardly sincere usually in poetic form
epiphany
a moment of sudden revelation or insight
metaphor
lifes but a walking shadow. a figure of speech which compares two dissimilar things
paradox
a statement that seems to be contradictory but that actually reveals some element of truth
ballad
a song like poem that tells a story often one dealing with adventure or romance
enjambment
in poetry the running over of a sentence from one verse or stanza into the next without stopping at the end of the first
jargon
the special language of a profession or group
simile
in the blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths … fresh faces drifted here and there like rose petals
antithesis
a statement that seems to be contradictory but that actually reveals some element of truth
ellipsis
to be…. that is the question
farce
the kind of comedy that features physical horse player, stereotypical characters and absurd plots and involving mistaken identities
syntax
the organization of language into meaningful structure every sentence has a pattern of words
anecdote
a brief story about an interesting amusing or strange event
canto
the main division of a long poem
euphemism
down sizing and cutting jobs
soliloquy
a characters speech to the audience in which emotions and ideas are revealed
anachronism
in the play the soldiers in casear’s army were wearing wristwatches
anagram
hamlet by william shakespeare of amleth a danish prince
hyperbole
the governor of buenos aires took everything but left me your heart come your presence will either return me to life or cause me to die of joy
kenning
related to works in old english poetry where the author would use a twist of words figure speech or use a new poetic device
ambiguity
the quality of being intentionally unclear
apostrophe
a rhetorical figure of direct address to a person object or abstract entity
didactic
in a story speech, essay or play is one i which the authors primary purpose is to instruct , teach or moralize
segue
sometimes in literature there is an uninterrupted transition from one section or them to another
allusion
a passing reference to something or someone outside the immediate scope of work
dactyl
a foot of poetry with three syllables one stressed and two short or unstressed such as a waltz rhythm
connotation
home and domicile have the same meanings but home is positive and warm while domicile is not
satire
the use of humor to ridicule and expose the shortcomings and failings of society, individuals, and institutions
vernacular
the standard native language of a country or locality distinguished from the literary language
rhetorical question
a question with an obvious anser so no response is expected
personification
is when a nonhuman object is given human characteristics
synecdoche
a figure of speech in which the name of a part is used to refer to a whole
iambic pentameter
meterical poetry that consists of five iambic feet per line common metric foot on English language
onomatopoeia
words that imitate sounds meow bang pop
