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Flashcards in Literary Terms Deck (29)
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1
Q

Assonance

A

Is the repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in a line of poetry

2
Q

Alliteration

A

Is the repetition of similar consonant sounds in a line a poetry

3
Q

Carpe Diem

A

Means “seize the day”- a very common literary motif in poetry

4
Q

Hyperbole

A

Is a bold overstatement, or the extravagant exaggeration of a fact or possibility

5
Q

Imagery

A

Is used to signify all the objects and qualities of sense perception referred to in a poem (5 senses)

6
Q

Metaphor

A

Is an unlike comparison of two things

7
Q

Onomatopoeia

A

A word or a combination of words whose sound seems to resemble closely the sound is denotes “hiss”, “buzz”, “rattle”

8
Q

Simile

A

A comparison of two things using the words “like” or “as”

9
Q

Sonnet

A

A lyric poem consisting of a single stanza of fourteen iambic pentameter lines linked by an intricate rhyme scheme
Two types:
- Italian
- English or Shakespearean

10
Q

Italian Sonnet

A

Is has two main parts- an octave (8 lines) with a rhyming ABBA ABBA
followed by a sestet (6 lines) rhyming CDE CDE or some variation

ABBA ABBA CDE CDE

11
Q

English or Shakespearean Sonnet

A

Contains three quatrains and ends with a conflicting couplet

ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

12
Q

Symbol

A

Signifies something beyond itself (objects, words, etc)

13
Q

Personification

A

An inanimate object or an abstract concept is spoken of as though it were endowed with life or human attributes or feelings

14
Q

Blank Verse

A

Consists of lines of iambic pentameter which are unrhymed

15
Q

Free Verse

A

A poem with no rhythmic pattern or meter

16
Q

Kenning

A

A two word renaming of something

17
Q

Villanelle

A

A poem with 19 lines

18
Q

Epic

A

A long narrative poem that celebrates the deeds of a legendary or heroic figure

19
Q

Monologue

A

Any long speech or dramatic part spoken by a single person

20
Q

Dialogue

A

A conversation between two or more persons

21
Q

Aside

A

Lines spoken by a character revealing his thoughts to the audience or to another character, but which are inaudible to other characters on stage

22
Q

Soliloquy

A

A speech given by a single character revealing his/her thoughts to the audience when no body else is on stage

23
Q

Equivocation

A

Language intentionally used to confuse the listener: double talk, paradox, double meaning, and ambiguous language

  • lesser than Macbeth, and greater
  • for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth
  • thou shalt get kings, though thou be none
24
Q

Paradox

A

A statement that is contradictory yet expresses a type of truth

  • I lost the battle, but won the war
  • even my failures were successes
25
Q

Tragic Flaw

A

The main character has a clear, decisive character flaw that brings about his downfall

26
Q

Reversal

A

A sudden change in the fortune of a character, for good or bad

27
Q

Tragic Hero

A

A person of high rank or status who suffers a complete reversal of fortune, for the worse, as a result of a tragic flaw

28
Q

Foil

A

A character that serves as a contrast to another. EXAMPLE: Macbeth vs. Duncan, Macbeth vs. Lady Macbeth, Macbeth vs. Banquo

29
Q

Comic Relief

A

A humorous scene or speech in a serious drama, which is meant to provide relief from emotional intensity and, by contrast, to heighten the seriousness of the story