Literary Terms/ Drama Theory #2

Question 1

Pathos

Answer 1

Quality of literature, art, or other communication to evoke sympathy

Question 2

Blank Verse

Answer 2

Most resembles common speech: unrhymed lines in iambic pentameter

Question 3

Bombast (noun)

Answer 3

Speech marked by exaggeratedly learned language

Question 4

Bombastic (adjective)

Answer 4

Pretentious (assuming importance), high-sounding, inflated

Question 5

Burlesque

Answer 5

Broad parody one that takes a style such as tragic drama into exaggerated ridiculousness

Question 6

Caesura

Answer 6

Pause in line of verse, indicated by natural patterns verses specific metrical

Question 7

Canto

Answer 7

Section division in long work of poetry

Question 8

Caricature

Answer 8

Depiction which characters characteristics or features are so deliberately exaggerated as to render them absurb

Question 9

Polysyndeton

Answer 9

Connecting list of words, phrases or clauses.

Ex: Mr. M wants a paper and a test and an IRP and a journal

Question 10

Asyndeton

Answer 10

Omission of conjunctions in context that calls for them, fast-paced
Ex: I came, I saw, I conquered

Question 11

Black Humor

Answer 11

Use of disturbing themes in comedy. Detached view of human suffering or death
Ex: two people arguing over which area of hell they should occupy

Question 12

Parody

Answer 12

Work that imitates another for comic effect

1) exaggerating style
2) Changing Content

Question 13

Cacophony

Answer 13

Deliberately harsh, awkward sound

Ex: the hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar; when Ajax strives some rocks vast weight to throw

Question 14

Catharsis

Answer 14

Cleansing of emotions a viewer or character experiences

Ex: Othello punishing himself for his horrific deed

Question 15

Chiasmus

Answer 15

Order of terms in 1st of 2 parallel clauses is reversed in 2nd
Ex: He went to the country, to the town went she

Question 16

List 3 important questions for analyzing setting

Answer 16

1. What is the setting? Does it change as the story develops?
2. How does it contribute to theme and characterization?
3. Is the particular setting important to the work?

Question 17

List 3 important questions on analyzing conflict

Answer 17

1. What brings on the conflict? Is it overt or covert?
2. Is conflict individually triggered or natural effect?
3. Is resolution enevitable or is the denouement brought about by arbitrary?

Question 18

3 important questions for characterization

Answer 18

1. How do characters relate to each other? Does it change as the story progresses?
2. Are characters based on common or historical stereotypes? Or are they literary arkatypes?
3. What are the special functions of the characters?

Question 19

6 characteristics of a tragedy

Answer 19

1. Tragedy arouses emotions of pity, fear, and awe
2. Tragic hero must’ve capable of great suffering
3. Tragedy explores the question of the ways of God to mortals
4. Purifies emotions
5. Shows the hero is brought to disaster by a single flaw
6. Hamartia- mortal sin or intellectual mistake
7. Character reflects time period values, usually rebels

Question 20

Ballad

Answer 20

Long narrative poem; typically sung with regular meter, naive, folksy quality