Terms Flashcards
Theme
the governing idea(s) in a poem, conveyed through the details and devices.
Context
whole structure of a connected passage
Speaker
the voice behind the poem
Lyric Poem
a formal poem that expresses personal emotions/feelings. usually short, songlike. Historically sung.
Rhyme
repetition of syllables, organized in patterns or schemes
Rhyme Scheme
the pattern of a rhyme; structure
Pastoral
literary work portraying rural life or the life of shepherds, especially romantic life.
Allusion
reference to another work of fiction, film, art, or real event. Links concepts.
Alliteration
repetition of sounds or consonants at the beginning of two or more words
English Sonnet
3 quatrains (abab cdcd efef) then rhyming cuplet
Italian Sonnet
Two parts,octave (abbaabba) sestet (cdecde / cdcdcd / cdcdee)
Octave
set of 8 lines together
Sestet
set of 6 lines
Quatrain
set of 4 lines
Couplet
2 lines, usually rhyming
Iambic Pentameter
measurement of line-length and rhythm
Sonnet Tradition
male speaker’s love, admiration, desire for female. Female is usually perfect, virtuous, out of reach.
Imagery
pictures that are painted by the words. sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactiles.
Carpe Diem Poetry
seize the day poetry. enjoy life while you can
Conceit
a conceit is an unusually elaborate or extended comparison that develops over the course of the work. Conceits are generally ingenious / unexpected, using something unlikely as the vehicle to discuss the subject.
Ode
Employs a pattern of repeated stanzas. Repeated with personal or reflective themes, usually serious manner.
Nightingale
Bird that sings when the sun goes down. Dark but can kind of see at dusk. Not a bright bird, brown-grey.
Free Verse
does not follow regular meter, line length or rhyme scheme
Confessional Poetry
Poetry that emphasizes personal, intimate, uncomfortable, and sometimes unflattering or embarrassing details of personal life. These poems are often about feelings or actions that have been considered taboo, such as mental illness, sexuality, desperation, and anger. Hard to distinguish speaker and author.
Slant Rhyme
An imperfect or partial rhyme in which the final consonants match but the vowel sounds do not. Ex/ Rook /Seek
Enjambement
When the sense of a line of poetry does not stop at the end of the line. No pause is created by punctuation, but the pause is given by the line break.
Apostrophe
(Literary Device) occurs when a writer or speaker directly addresses an object or a dead or absent person as if they were present and able to listen.
Prose Poem
A poetic discourse that uses prose formats (usually paragraphs instead of line breaks and stanzas) yet is written with the kind of attention to language and sound that characterizes verse.
Flashpoint
The lowest temperature at which the vapours of a liquid/gas will ignite if near a heat source.
