Vocab for Poetry and Tragedy Flashcards
Ballad
A narrative poem to be sung or recited.
Elegy
A poem written as a tribute to one who has died.
Sonnet
A 14-line poem usually about universal themes relatable for all people, such as love. Uses iambic pentameter, a rhyme scheme, and a volta.
Concrete poem
A poem in which the poet uses visible shape to create a picture related to the poem’s subject.
Ode
A poem that highly praises something like a person, and event, or an idea.
Trochee
A foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable. DUH-duh. Ex: Later.
Spondee
A foot consisting of two stressed syllables. DUH-DUH. Ex: Downtown.
Anapest
A foot with a pattern of two unstressed, one stressed syllable. duh-duh-DUH. Ex: Understand.
Dactyl
A foot with a pattern of one stressed, two unstressed syllables. DUH-duh-duh. Ex: Typical.
Iamb
A foot with one unstressed syllable, and one stressed syllable. duh-DUH. Ex: Attack.
Dirge
A song of mourning, usually sung at a funeral for the dead person.
Paradox
A seemingly contradictory statement that actually reveals truth upon investigation.
Catharsis
A purging or sweeping away of pity or fear aroused by tragic action.
Peripeteia
A reversal of intention when the character creates the opposite effect to their original intended effect.
Anagnorisis
The discovery or recognition, in which the character changes from ignorance to knowledge.
Mimesis
The imitation of an action.
Hubris
Excessive pride, causing the hero to ignore a divine warning or break a moral law.
Aristotle’s theory of tragedy
Plot, character, thought, diction, song, and spectacle. In Aristotle’s theory of tragedy, these six elements are used to allow the tragedy to show, not tell. Plot is how the incidents are shown to the audience, character is meant to advance the plot because a lacking area in character often leads to the tragic downfall, thought is similar to the theme and it shows how speeches reveal character, diction is the style of speech, song refers to the odes which are fully integrated into the play, and spectacle refers to special effects. Aristotle’s perfect tragedy correctly employs all six elements.
Trochee (later)
A foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable. DUH-duh. Ex: Later.
Spondee (downtown)
A foot consisting of two stressed syllables. DUH-DUH. Ex: Downtown.
Anapest (understand)
A foot with a pattern of two unstressed, one stressed syllable. duh-duh-DUH. Ex: Understand.
Dactyl (typical)
A foot with a pattern of one stressed, two unstressed syllables. DUH-duh-duh. Ex: Typical.
Iamb (attack)
A foot with one unstressed syllable, and one stressed syllable. duh-DUH. Ex: Attack.
What does Aristotle literally define tragedy as?
The imitation of an action that is serious and also as having magnitude, complete in itself.
