Vocab 2 Flashcards
(14 cards)
Anapest
a metrical foot that consists of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. Words such as “understand” and “contradict” are examples of anapest, because both of them have three syllables where the accent is on the final syllable.
Ballad
a narrative poem that originally was set to music. Ballads were first created in medieval France, and the word ballad comes from the French term chanson balladée, which means “dancing song.” Ballads then became popular in Great Britain, and remained so until the nineteenth century. The meaning has changed somewhat in the present day to refer to any slow love song.
Conceit
uses an extended metaphor that compares two very dissimilar things. A conceit is often elaborate and controls a large section of a poem or the entire poem. Conceits are often quite unique and ingenuous, and can present striking juxtaposition and comparison of the unlike things. At times this can mean that the reader is strongly aware of the dissimilarities between the two things being compared in metaphor, yet the conceit broadens the reader’s awareness of the complexity of the things in question. A conceit therefore often contributes to a greater sophistication of understanding about the things being compared due to the surprise factor of the unusual comparison.
Couplet
a successive pair of lines in a poem. The pair of lines that comprise a couplet generally rhyme with each other and contain the same meter. Couplets are either closed, which is to say that both lines are end-stopped, or open, which is to say that there is enjambment involved and the meaning of the line runs on past the end of the line. Closed couplets are also known as formal couplets, while open couplets are sometimes called run-on couplets.
Dactyl
a metrical foot with one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. For example, the words “typical” and “elephant” both demonstrate the dactylic stress pattern. In Greek and Latin verse, which use a different understanding of meter that relies on the length of syllables rather than their stress pattern, a dactyl is a long syllable followed by two short syllables.
Enjambment
a term used in poetry to refer to lines that end without punctuation and without completing a sentence or clause. When a poet uses enjambment, he or she continues a sentence beyond the end of the line into a subsequent line or lines
Haiku
A haiku is a short poetic form from Japan characterized by juxtaposition, seasonal imagery, and number of on, which are similar to syllables. The form has been adopted into other languages with a focus on the number of syllables; in English, haiku is a three-line poem with phrases of five, seven, and five syllables, respectively. However, in traditional Japanese haiku the most important element was the juxtaposition between different images with a transition via a “cutting word” (known as kireji in Japanese). This cutting word can change the stream of thought or provide a comparison between the different lines. It is similar to the concept of the volta in the sonnet form, or the audible pause in classical poetry known as the caesura.
Heroic Couplet
fairly similar to the elegiac couplet in that it is generally closed and self-contained, and thus has meaning on its own. Heroic couplets came into popularity in the mid-14th century in English epic and narrative poetry. The meter of heroic couplets is usually iambic pentameter, though some poets took liberties with changing the meter at times to provide a sort of closure.
Iamb
a unit of meter with two syllables, where the first syllable is unstressed and the second syllable is stressed. Words such as “attain,” “portray,” and “describe” are all examples of the iambic pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. The iamb is one of the most fundamental metrical feet in English language and poetry. Many poets writing in strict meter choose to write with many successive iambs to create a consistent rhythm of unstressed and stressed beats.
Iambic pentameter
A line with five iambs (ten syllables total). Iambic pentameter is one of the most common meters used in all of English language poetry, and became especially popular in Renaissance England. It remained popular for hundreds of years.
Accent
a rhythmically significant stress on the syllables of a verse, usually at regular intervals. The word accent is often used interchangeably with stress
Envoy
The brief stanza that ends French poetic forms such as the ballade or sestina
Heptameter
A meter made up of seven feet and usually 14 syllables total
Hexameter
A metrical line of six feet, most often dactylic, and found in Classical Latin or Greek poetry, including Homer’s Iliad.
