AP Literature Literary Terms Part 2 Flashcards
The specific, exact meaning of a word; dictionary definition
Denotation
Denouement
The resolution of a plot after the climax
Deus ex machina
An unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot
Diction
An author’s choice of words
Dramatic irony
Irony in which the character use words which mean one thing to them but another to those who understand the situation better
Dystopia
The opposite of a utopia; a controlled world where pain exists instead of pleasure
Elegy
Lyrical poem about death; a serious poem, usually meant to express grief or sorrow
Enjambment
Line of verse that carries over into next line without a pause of any kind
Epic
A long narrative, usually written in elevated language, which related the adventures of a hero upon whom rests the fate of a nation
Epiphany
A brief quotation at the beginning of a book or chapter
Epitaph
An engraving on a tombstone
Epithet
Nickname or appellation
Euphemism
Substitute word(s) that sounds better than another; the use of inoffensive or neutral words to describe a harsher, more serious concept
Existentialism
A term applied to a group of attitudes which emphasize existence rather than the essence and sees inadequacy of human reason to explain the enigma of the universe
Exposition
The introductory material which sets the time, gives the setting, introduces the characters, and supplies necessary facts
