Poetry Theory Flashcards
What is prose?
Sentences or paragraphs.
What is a simile?
Comparison of 2 unlike things using ‘‘like’’ or ‘‘as’’
What is verse?
Poetry; definite line endings and beginnings, may or may not have rhyme or rhythm
What is a metaphor?
Comparison of 2 unlike things without using ‘‘like’’ or ‘‘as’’
What is personification?
Giving non-human things human-like characteristics
What is an oxymoron?
Words or a phrase which contradict (ex. jumbo shrimp)
What is a paradox?
A sentence or statement that contradicts (the giants were small)
What is an allusion?
An indirect reference to a famous person, object, event, place, etc
What is an apostrophe?
Directly addressing someone or something in a line of poetry
What is a pun?
A play on words wtih 3 possible forms:
1. a word with 2 different meanings
2. similarity of meaning in 2 homonyms (words with the same spelling or pronunciation but different things)
3. homonyms
What is Onomatopea?
the use of a word whose sound imitates, suggests, and reinforces its
meaning.
E.g. crackle, boom, sizzle, buzz, roar
What is a Hyperbole?
an extreme exaggeration used for effect.
(Hyperbolic) E.g. I will love you until the end of time.
E.g. You take my breath away.
E.g. Time stops when I’m with you
What is Alliteration?
the repetition of the same consonant or vowel sound at the start of
words.
E.g. Bob boasted about being brave.
What is Assonance?
the repetition of similar vowel sounds anywhere within the words in
a line of poetry.
E.g. “in a frail agony of disgrace, she trailed away from sight” (long “a”
sound)
What is Consonance?
the repetition of similar consonant sounds anywhere within the
words in a line of poetry.
E.g. Mike likes his new bike. (“K” sound)
E.g. The bat shattered with his strong swing (“t” sound for consonance;
“s” sound for alliteration as well)
E.g. the dog dragged the lug wrench (the “g” sound is repeated)
What is a Cacophony?
the use of harsh, discordant sounds for poetic effect.
- usually applied to the entire poem or key parts of it.
E.g. “driving a decrepit, grumbling Cadillac with a crumpled
bumper” (notice hard sounds created by “d” “g” “c” “b”)
What is a Euphony?
the use of soft, pleasant sounds for poetic effect.
- usually applied to the entire poem or key parts of it.
E.g. “smiling at memories of her sweet, loving father” (notice soft
sounds created by “s” “m” “h” “f”)
What is Aesthetic?
artistic; sensitive to beauty
- literature, drama, music, and ballet are aesthetic arts.
What is Symbolism?
something representing something else especially a material object
representing an abstract idea.
E.g. heart represents love
E.g. gun represents violence
What is Repetition?
repeating words, phrases, lines, or stanzas for four possible reasons
(*KNOW):
a) rhyme c) emphasis
b) rhythm d) continuity
What is Incremental Repetition?
a specific type of repetition involving the repetition of
whole lines or stanzas with small but significant changes to a few
words from one to the next.
- used to further develop the narrative or meaning
What is a Refrain?
key lines of a poem (stanza) that are repeated at regular intervals within a
song
- also known as a chorus