Literary Terms Flashcards
Accent
The stressed portion of a word
Allegory
An extended narrative in prose or verse in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface story; the underlying meaning may be moral, religious, political, social, or satiric.
Alliteration
The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to one another; for example, “beautiful blossoms blooming between the bushes”
Allusion
A reference to another work or famous figure assumed to be well known enough to be recognized by the reader
Anachronism
An event, object, custom, person, or thing that is out of order in time; some of which are unintentional, such as when an actor performing Shakespeare forgets to take off his watch; others are deliberately used to achieve a humorous or satiric effect, such as Mark Twain’s, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Analogy
A comparison of two similar but different things, usually to clarify an action or relationship, such as comparing the work of a heart to that of a pump.
Anecdote
A short, simple narrative of an incident
Aphorism
A short, often witty statement of a principle or a truth about life.
Apostrophe
Usually, in poetry but sometimes in prose, the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place, thing, or a personified abstraction either to begin a poem or to make a dramatic break in though somewhere within the poem
Aside
A brief speech or comment that an actor makes to the audience supposedly without being heard by the other actors on stage; often used for melodramatic or comedic effect
Assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds between different consonants; such as neigh/fade
Ballad
A long narrative poem that presents a single dramatic episode, which is often tragic or violent; Two Types
Folk Ballad
One of the earliest forms of literature, usually sung and was passed down orally from singer to singer; the author is generally unknown, and its form and melody often changed according to a singer’s preference
Literary Ballad
Also called an art ballad; balled that imitates the form and spirit of the folk ballad, but is more polished and uses a higher level of poetic diction
Blank Verse
Poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter; a favorite form used by Shakespeare
Burlesque
broad poetry; whereas a parody will imitate and exaggerate a specific work, such as Romeo and Juliet, a burlesque will take an entire style or form, such as pastoral poetry, and exaggerate it into ridiculousness
Cacophony
Harsh, awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of euphony
Caricature
Descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of appearance or a facet of personality
Catharsis
The emotional release that an audience member experiences as a result of watching a tragedy
Chorus
In Greek drama, a group of characters who comments on the action taking place on stage
Classicism
The principles and styles admired in the classics of Greek and Roman literature, such as objectivity, sensibility, restraint, and formality
Colloquialism
A word or phrase used in everyday conversation and informal writing that is sometimes inappropriate in formal writing
Conceit
An elaborate figure of speech in which two seemingly dissimilar things or situations are compared
Consonance
The repetition of identical consonant sounds before and after different vowel sounds, as in boost/best; can also be seen withing several compound words, such as fulfill ping-pong
Conundrum
A riddle whose answer is or involves a pun; may also be a paradox or difficult problem
Description
The picturing in words of something or someone through detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell, and touch; one of the four modes of discourse
Diction
Word Choice
