Literary Terms Flashcards
Allegory
A tale in prose or verse in which the characters, actions, or settings represent abstract ideas or moral qualities
Alliteration
The conspicuous repetition of sounds (usually consonants) in a group of words
Allusion
A recognizable reference to a person, place, or event in a literary work
Analogy
A comparison between two things to show the similarities in them
Antagonist
The opposing force in a drama or narrative
Aphorism
Terse, pointed statement expressing some clever observation in life
Apostrophe
A form of personification in which the absent or dead or spoken to as if present and the inanimate as if it were animate
Archetype
The original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype
Ballad
A story told in verse and usually meant to be sung
Aside
A short speech spoken to the audience or in an undertone by a character
Assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds in a group of words
Blank Verse
Verse written in unrhymed iambic pentameter
Bildungsroman
A “coming of age” story. Recounts the youthful development of a hero
Canon
Those Works generally considered by Scholars, critics, and teachers to be the most important to read and study, which collectively constitute the “masterpieces” of literature; traditionally, it consisted of works by male white writers but has been expanded to include female writers/ethnic writers
Cacophony
“bad sound”; Language that is discordant and difficult to pronounce
Cadence
The natural rhythm of language. any writer with any sense of voice has a Cadence that distinguishes his or her work
Caesura
A break or pause in a line of poetry if it occurs early in a line it is referred to as a “initial caesura” if in the middle it is “medial” and at the end it is “terminal”
Caricature
In literature, just as in a painting, a portrait that ridicules an individual by exaggerating their most prominent features
Carpe Diem
“seize the day”- theme which emphasizes life is short, time is fleeting
Catharsis
“purgation”; describes the release of emotions
Colloquial
a type of informal diction that reflects casual, conversational language and often includes slang expressives
Climax
the decisive point in a narrative or drama; the point of greatest intensity or interest
Conceit
very elaborate comparisons between unlikely objects. The metaphysical poets such as John Donne were criticized for “yoking” together outrageous terms
Connotation
an emotional meaning of a word rather than its literal meaning associated significances/feelings that the word implies
