Literary Terms Flashcards
Satire
use of humor irony exaggeration or ridicule to criticize people’s stupidity or vices (making fun of people)
Epiphany
Light bulb moment
Bildungsroman
a novel dealing with someones formative years or spiritual education
Catharsis
Relief of a strong emotion usually through an art form
Deus Ex Machina
When a problem that seems unsolvable gets resolved quickly and unexpectedly
Vignette
short descriptive piece of writing that captures a brief period of time
Apostrophe
a speech or address to a person not present or to a personified object
Trope
use of figurative language
Pathos
an appeal made to an audience’s emotions in order to evoke feeling
Motif
main idea/message in a text
Iambic Pentameter
a line of verse with 5 metrical feet each with one short syllable followed by one long syllable
Utopia
imaginary society where conditions are highly desirable/near perfect
Euphemism
polite way to discuss something not nice
Elegiac
like an elegy is mournful/sorrow way or in elegy verses
Canon/Canonical
a body of books from a period of time deemed important and influential
Allusion
an indirect passive reference to a famous thing
Cacophony
a harsh mixture of sounds
Blank Verse
verse without rhyme but almost always with iambic pentameter
Symbolism
the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities
Denouement
conclusion after the climax of a narrative in which the complexities of the plot are unraveled and the conflict is finally resolved
Diction
word choice or style of speaking that a writer uses
Conceit
an unconventional or logically complex metaphor with awareness of discrepancy between appearance and reality
Foil
character that contrasts with the main character usually to to highlight and differentiate features
Allegory
a story poem or picture with a hidden meaning (typically moral)
