poetic devices Flashcards
lyric
a category that expresses thoughts/feelings/emotions of the poet. includes many forms (haikus, sonnets, ballads)
metaphor
a comparison between 2 unlike objects without using like or as
onomatopoeia
a word that spells the sound it makes. ex: bam
oxymoron
2 contradictory terms/words used for emphasis. ex: pretty ugly
personification
giving a non-living thing human like qualities
refrain
phrases or lines repeated after every stanza (chorus)
rhyme scheme
pattern of rhyme. ex: abab or aabbcc
rhythm
the ‘beat’ of a poem as we naturally read words/lines
simile
comparison of 2 objects using like or as
stanza
groups of lines in poetry (mini paragraphs)
tone
the emotion that a poet is feeling or expressing through a poem. ex: bitter, witty
alliteration
repeating consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a line or several of poetry
allusion
making a reference to a literary, social or political event/work/person
assonance
repeating vowel sounds in words in a line or several of poetry
ballad
a poem that consists of a series of 4-line stanzas, rhymed, has rhythm and tells a story. rhyme scheme: abab, cdcd, etc
blank verse
unrhymed lines of poetry written in a set rhythm - iambic pentameter
consonance
repeating consonant sounds used in the middle and end of words in a line or several of poetry
contrast
two contradictory concepts used to make a point
figurative language
not to be taken literally: similes, metaphors, hyperboles etc
free verse
no set rhyme or rhythm
hyperbole
exaggerated statement used for effect
narrative poem
a poem of any form that tells a story
limerick
5-line poem thats witty and funny. follows a rhythm (33223) and rhyme scheme (aabba)
apostrophe
directly addressing a thing or a complex idea/feeling as though it was alive/present. ex: homework, oh homework!
repetition
lines that are repeated for emphasis
haiku
japanese 3 line poem, 5,7,5
sonnet (shakespearian)
14 line poem
can be about anything
a set rhythm (iambic pentameter)
rhyme scheme (ababcdcdefefgg)
underline
novels, movie and play titles
” “
poems, songs and short story titles
irony
when a writer expresses a meaning contradictory to the stated or apparent one
verbal irony
the attitude of the writer or speaker is the opposite to that which is literally being stated, veiled sarcasm
situational irony
when a set of circumstances turns out to be the reverse of those anticipated
dramatic irony
the differences between what the audience knows and what a character knows to be true. or when we know something that the characters in the story dont
symbol
an element chosen to stand for or represent something else. ex: dove = peace
conflict
person vs person person vs society person vs supernatural person vs environment person vs self
protagonist
the main character in the story, dominates the plot. not always the good person
antagonist
force against the protagonist; can be a person, things, society or traits of his/her own character
characterization
flat character: 1/2 distinct traits
round character: complex, many traits
static character: remains the same
dynamic character: undergoes a permanent change in outlook
stock character: stereotypical flat character
third person
talking about someone as someone watching them go about his day
two types of third person
omniscient: multiple POVs - different characters
limited omniscient: 1 character’s POV
first person
talking about own experience using “I” voice
imagery
when descriptions are used to create a picture inside the reader’s mind, through similes
