THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO LITRRARY TERMS &

DEVICES:
http://library.thinkquest.org/17500/data/litdev/litdevA.html

A lexandrine
A poetic line with six iambic feet. Often used in classical tragedies.

(ex. John Keats' "The Eve of St. Agnes")

Allegory
A story with two meanings (one literal and one symbolic) which usually contains abstract characters, actions, or
settings. Oftentimes, names of characters may be symbolic (Death, Hope, Beauty...)

(ex. John Bunyan 's "The Pilgrim's Progress" and George Orwell's "Animal Farm")

Alliteration
The repetition of consonants sounds, usually at the beginnings of words. Initial alliteration occurs at the
beginning of words, whereas internal or hidden alliteration occurs within words. Most alliteration occurs on
stressed syllables. Alliteration is a mainly poetic device, although it is occasionally used in prose. Its two main
purposes are to please the ear and to emphasize certain words. Anglo-Saxon poetry was greatly influenced by
alliteration, and often contained three or four examples on one line.

(ex. "She sells seashells at the seashore")

Allusion
A reference to a person, place, event, literary work that is usually recognized. An allusion is often taken from
history, geopgraphy, literature, or religion. Much of today's allusions are found in many TV programs (the
Simpsons and Seinfeld) and stand-up comedy.

(ex. In Act One of Macbeth, Ross alludes to "Bellona's bridegroom" to praise Macbeth for his skills in battle.
Bellona was the goddess of war in Greek mythology)

Analogy
A comparison revealing the similarlities between two things. An analaogy is ofted used as a simile for illustration
or for arguement.

(ex. Pope's Essay on Criticism: "'Tis with our judgement as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his own.")

Antagonist
A major character, in a narrative or drama, in opposition to the hero or heroine. A rival.

(ex. Sherlocke Holmes' antagonist was Professor Moriarty)

Antipastoral
See Pastoral
Anti-Petrarchan
See Sonnet

Antistrophe
See Ode

Antithesis
A balancing of two contrasting ideas, often expressed in a sentence of balanced grammatical structure.

(ex. Alexander Pope's Essay on Critisim: "To err is human, to forgive divine")

Aphorism
A short, concise statement expressing a knowledgable observation of life. Usually a statement of a truth or
doctrine.

(ex. Alexander Pope: "For fools rush in where angels fear to tread" or Francis Bacon: "Silence is the virtue of
fools")

Apostrophe
A figure of speech in which a dead person, a nonhuman or an abstract quality is addressed directly.

(ex. George Gordon, Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: "Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean")

Aside
In drama, an aside is meant to be heard by the audience, but not by the other characters in the play. Asides were
popular before the end of the nineteenth century to reveal the true motives and thoughts of characters. A related
device is the soliloquy.

Assonance
Similar to alliteration, an assonance is the repetition of consonant sounds, usually in stressed syllable.

(ex.Twinkle, twinkle, little star...)

Atmosphere
The mood that is established in a literary work. Atmosphere is often created through the setting and through
foreshadowing.

(ex. Macbeth: The first act creates a dark and dismal mood with the three witches, forming the atmosphere of the
play. What the witches state is the foreshadowing of the later evil in the play)

Autobiography
From the Greek translation "self-life-writing", an autobiography is a personal account of one's own life. Usually
written in the narrative form with some introspection, autobiographies differ from memoirs which are written in a
different perspective.

B allad
Originally, a ballad was made to be sung. It is usually in short narrative form and often tells a story. Literary
ballads often use many literary devices and conventions.

(ex. Keats' "La Belle Dame sans Merci" and Wilde's' "Ballad of Reading Gaol")
Ballad Stanza

A type of four-line stanza rhyming ABCB.

Biography

An account of someone's life. Usually, biographies require much research and attain a thesis illustrated
throughout the work.

Blank Verse

Unrhymed verse but limited to iambic pentameter. Many English poets favoured this type of poetry.

(ex. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and Milton's Paradise Lost)

C aesura
A pause or break in a line of poetry, usually ten syllables or more.

(ex. Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, Too Make Much of Time"

Then be not coy, // but use your time,

And while ye may, // go marry ... )

Canto

In a long poem, a canto is a section or division.

(ex. Dante's "Divine Comedy")

Caricature

An exaggeration to make a figure appear comical or ridiculous. Usually a physical characteristic , personality
trait or an act is exaggerated for affect.

(ex. Charles Dickens'sThomas Gradgrind in "Hard Times")

"Carpe Diem" Tradition

Latin for "seize the day", carpe diem is a theme often used to advise a reader to enjoy the pleasures of life of the
moment before the time passes away.

(ex. Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" : "Gather ye rose
buds while ye may")

Characterization

The personality that a character displays, or the way an author revels their personality. Character is usually
developed by the character's actions, by thoughts and speeches, by physical description, by opinions, or by a direct
statement in the work.

Classicism

The principles held as the basis of classical art. With emphasis the traditional and universal values, clarities and
balance, classicism is strong opposed to Romanticism which emphasizes emotions and personal themes.

Climax

In a narrative, the climax is the greatest point of intensity in the crisis. It is usually the turning point of a story
revealed through rising action (increased tension).

(ex. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" : the climax occurs in the banquet scene in Act Three when Macbeth sees the ghost
of Banquo.)

Comedy

Any literary work with a usally happy ending, distinctly opposite from a tragedy. Commonly found in a comedy
are wit, humour, and some kind of folly.

Conceit

A type of metaphor that compares to distinctly diffferent things. Conceit usually constructs the form of an entire
poem in the form of a elaborate or startling analogy.

(ex. Shakespeare : "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; / Coral is far more red than her lips' red.")

Conflict

A struggle between two forces or characters in a literary piece, being internal or external. There are many types
of conflict.

• one person against another

• a person against society
• a person against nature
• two elements within a person fighting for power

Many works contain several types of conflict. Conflict is the basis for suspense.

(ex. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" : There is conflict inside Macbeth when he wants to murder Duncan for his
kingship but holds loyalty towards Duncan at the same time. There is conflict among Macbeth and other characters
like Lady Macbeth, Banquo and Macduff.)

Connotation

The emotions or implication aroused by a word.

(ex.The dictionary definition of the word "spring" is the time between the vernal equinox and the summer
solstice, but usually makes most people think of flowers, romance and youth.)

Consonance
 The repetition of identical consonant sounds in a group of words.

(ex. "flip-flop", "east-west")

Couplet

Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme. A heroic couplet is an iambic pentamenter and a closed couplet is
two lines in which a complete unit of thought is formed.

D actyl
See Scansion

Denotation

The "dictionary" definition of a word.

Dénouement

The events following the climax of a plot. A dénouement is the resolution of all conflicts in a play, short story,
novel, or narrative poem. Most mysteries and secrets in the plot are solved in the dénouement.

Diction

A choice of words that an author choses for specific reasons. There are many types of diction including formal
and informal, abstract and concrete, and simple and complex. Diction is often chosen in respect to the audience.
For example, a piece of work directed at a formal audience would not benefit from inappropriate language.

Dissonance

A Harsh or jarring combination of sounds.

(ex. Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" :

"Gas! Gas! Quick Boys!-An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clums helmets just in time...")

Dramatic Monologue

A poem in which a character reveals his character and the current situation (usually dramatic situations) that he is
in.

(ex. Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess")

E legy
A poem of mourning over the dead or the dying. It may also be the lament over the death of nature or beauty. An
elegy is a type of lyric poem, usually formal in structure and sad in its tone.

(ex. Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "In Memoriam")

Emblematic Image

A "verbal picture" or figure with strong traditional or religious meaning to it.

(ex. George Herbert's poem "Easter Wings" makes the shape of wings.)

Epic

A long narrative poem with a heroic theme. Many epics were of oral tradition and spent many years not written
down.

(ex. Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Dante's "Divine Comedy", and John Milton's "Paradise Lost:)

Epigram

A short, witty statement with thought and ingenious behind it. An epigram is often in the form of a poem.

(ex. Alexander Pope's "Essay on Criticism" :

"Be not the first by whom the new are tried,

Nor yet the last to lay the old aside. [II, 135-136] )

Epigraph

A quotation at the beginning of book, chapter, or poem that is entended to invoke the theme or atmosphere of the
work.

(ex. T.S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men" refers to Guy Fawkes Day when English children carry stuffed effigies
[images or something of the likeness] of Fawkes. This refers to Eliot's generation of "stuffed men")

Epilogue

A short conclusion or addition at the end of a piece of work. An epilogue oftentimes explains what happens to
characters after the ending of a story.

Epiphany

From Greek: "a showing forth", an epiphany reveals moments of signifigance. It is usually at the end of a piece
of work.

(ex. James Joyce's "Araby" has its epiphany when the narrator realizes that his dream of visiting the great bazaar
has only created frustration and nothing more. It was his moment of clarity.)

Epitath

Originally, an epitath was just an inscription on a tombstone about the dead. Now, epitaths are seen in poetry and
are often witty and humorous and in the form of epigrams.

(ex.James Gay's "My Own Epitath":

"Life is a jest, and all things show it.

I thought so once; but now I know it." )
Epithet

A term (usually an adjective or phrase) used to characterize a person or thing.

(ex. "America the Beautiful" and "Catherine the Great" )

Epode

See Ode

Essay

A short composition (usually in prose) about a subject and a particular point of view. An essay can be either
formal or informal in writing and content.

Exemplum

A story, usually inserted into a sermon, that illustrates a moral point.

(ex.Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" holds a moral that "Greed is the root of all evil" )

Exposition

The part of a play or narrative that explains background information to the audience.

(ex.At the beginning of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and "Othello" there is an exposition.)

F able
A brief story that is usually told to reveal a moral principle or a lesson. Oftentimes, the characters in fables are
animals who speak and act like humans.

(ex. George Orwell's "Animal Farm")

Falling action

See Plot.

Farce

A comedy usually based on ridiculous siutations with stereotyped characters. Farces often use crude physical
actions and use characters as the "" of jokes.

Figurative Language

Language that is not intended to be read in their literal meanings.

(ex. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" :

 "Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.
[V, 5, 23-26]

Shakespeare did not mean that life is a candle, but made comparisons between the two. This provides many new
ways to view the world by using many figures of speech (metaphors, hyperbole, oxymoron, etc. )

Figure of Speech

A word or an expression not intended to be read in a literal sense The most common figures of speech -
metaphor, personification, simile, and metonymy - compare two unlike things.

(ex. "It's raining cats and dogs" and "You're the apple of my eye")

Flashback

A scene in a piece of work that interrupts the current action to reveal something from the past.

(ex.Katherine Mansfield's "A Dill Pickle" and Elizabeth Bowen's "Tears, Idle, Tears")

Foil

A character of complete contrast of another character.

(ex. Shakepspeare's "Macbeth" : Banquo and Macbeth.)

Foot

See Scansion

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues in a story or a play that indicates what may happen later. Foreshadowing is a device used to create
interest and to build suspense by the writers.

(ex. Graham Greene's "Across the Bridge": The fifth parargraph states that Mr. Calloway's story is a tragedy,
which foreshadows the end of the story.)

Free Verse

Verse without regular meter or line length. Instead, free verse follows the natural speech rhythms and lengths of
language. Free is exactly what free verse is. Most free verse belongs to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries but is
also found in the Psalms of the Bible.

G enre
A type or class or literature or art.

(ex. Some types of genre are epic, tragedy, comedy and lyric)
H eroic Couplet
See Couplet.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech that uses exaggeration or overstatement for effect.

(ex. "I wouldn't give him the time of day" and "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse")

I amb
See Scansion

Iambic Pentameter

A poetic line containing five verse feet, with each foot iamb (an unstressed syllable followed by another
unstressed syllable). Iambic Pentameter is the most common verse line found in English poetry.

(ex. John Milton's "Paradise Lost" :

"At once as far as angels ken he views

The dismal situation waste and wild:
A dungeon horrible on all sides round
As one great furnace flamed, yet from those flames
No light, but rather darkness visible..."
[lines 59-63]

These lines are written in blank verse - unrhymed iambic pentameter.)

Imagery

Words or phrases that are used to create images in the reader's mind. Images can appeal to all of the senses:
touch, taste, smell, hearing and seeing.

Incremental Repetition

The repetition of a line with a slight variation each time. This is commonly used in ballads to develop certain
situations in the story.

(ex. Poe's's "The Raven")

In Medias Res

In writing, the technique of diving right into the middle or a story or situation and explaining the previous events
later by flashback.
 (ex. John Milton's "Paradise Lost" and Homer's "Odyssey")

Interlocking Rhyme

See Rhyme.

Interlude

From the late fifteenth century, an Interlude is a play with a non-religious plot and characters.

Inversion

Reversing the normal word order (subject, verb, object). This can be used to create a tone or can emphasis
particular words and ideas. Poets also use inversion so it fits a certain meter or rhyme scheme.

(ex. "I went to school" to "To the school went I". )

Invocation

At the beginning of a poem, an invocation is the calling of a god, muse or spirit for inspiration.

(ex. John Milton's "Paradise Lost" : Milton invokes the muse of sacred poetry, Urania, to inspire him.)

Irony

A device used by the writer to express something contradictory. Usually it is the contrast between what's stated
and what is really meant, or what is supposed to happen and what really happens. The three kinds of irony are
verbal irony, dramatic irony, and irony of situation.

(ex. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" : Scene 6 has Duncan and Banquo commenting on the beauty and of the setting
while Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are plotting Duncan's murder.)

J argon
A term meaning unitelligible words or debased language. Jargon is the familiar speech in a profession or a group
of people.

K enning
A phrase or metaphor, mainly in Old English poetry, used to describe persons, things, or events in an indirect
way.

(ex. The Anglo-Saxon poem "The Seafarer" refers to the sea as the "whales' home")