poetic techniques Flashcards
what is a symbol ?
a thing or sign that connotes something else
eg a rose or a dove
what is alliteration ?
several words close together that begin with the same letter
eg a dangerous dream of death
what is pathetic fallacy ?
when the weather/time of year reflects the mood/ atmosphere of the text
eg it was a dreamy night in december
what is a metaphor ?
when a thing is said to be the same as another thing that may in reality be quite different
eg her words were stones
what is a simile ?
two things are compared using the connectors “like” or “as”.
eg her words were like stones
what is enjambment ?
when sentences in a poem do not end at the end of the line.
eg this room is breaking out of itself, cracking through its own walls.
what is rhyme ?
the last syllable(s) in a line sound alike
eg we are red, we are white. we are Danish dynamite.
what is repetition ?
a word is repeated several times
eg a drum, a drum, Macbeth doth come
what is Hyperbole ?
something is exaggerated
eg my feet are killing me
what is assonance ?
a similar vowel sound repeated in a line
eg I dreamt of death and wet the brain
what is personification ?
An inanimate object is given life-like qualities
eg the tree waved at me in the wind
what is onomatopoeia ?
a word that reflects the sound it makes
eg Zip, clang, choo-choo train.
