| Term | Definition |
|---|
| alliteration | repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| connotation | the implied or suggested meaning of a word; emotional overtones of the word; what it suggests to the reader |
| couplet | two consecutive rhyming lines |
| denotation | the literal definition of a word |
| figure of speech | a word or phrase that identifies or describes something in a way that is not literally true, but may be meaningful in a deeper sense. |
| hyperbole | gross exaggeration for effect |
| irony | an unexpected twist; the contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually occurs |
| metaphor | a direct comparison |
| onomatopoeia | the use of words whose sounds imitate natural sounds |
| personification | giving an object or an animal human qualities or characteristics |
| rhyme scheme | the pattern of rhymes at the ends of lines in a poem. |
| sarcasm | a form of verbal irony; saying something and meaning the exact opposite, with the intent to be witty or insulting |
| simile | a comparison using “like” or “as” |
| stanza | lines grouped together to form a division of a poem, separated from other lines by space |
| symbol | an object, person, place, event that stands for something more than itself; something concrete that stands for an abstract concept. |
| Genre | a division or type of literature. |
| The three major genres of literature | drama, poetry, and prose. poetry is divided into narrative poetry, dramatic poetry, and lyric poetry. |
| Narrative poetry | is poetry that tells a story. Presents dramatic events in a vivid way, using some of the same elements as short stories--for example, plot, characters, and dialogue. These poems have a narrator. |
| Dramatic poetry | One or more characters speak to other characters who may or may not be present in the poem. |
| A dramatic monologue | a poem in which one person addresses a listener or listeners who do not speak. The speaker reveals his or her character by commenting on a crucial problem or conflict in his or her life. |
| Lyric poetry | highly musical verse that expresses the emotions, attitudes, and observations of a single speaker. Usually short and musical, these poems have their names because in ancient times they were sung to the accompaniment of a lyre, a stringed instrument. |
| Ballad | a song-like poem that tells a story, often one dealing with adventure or romance. The earliest, were meant to be sung and thus had regular rhythm and rhymes. Early ones were composed anonymously and then passed on orally from generation to generation. |
| literary ballad | A poem in which the stanzas are usually a quatrain, a four-line stanza, with a particular rhythm and rhyme scheme. |
| Diction | word choice. To discuss a writer’s diction is to consider the vocabulary s/he has used, the appropriateness of the words, and the vividness of the language. |
| Image | a word or phrase that appeals to one or more of the senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch , smell, movement). Poets use images to recreate sensory experiences in words. Imagery is the collective term for images. |
| Speaker | the person whose voice we hear in the poem. The use of “I” does not necessarily mean the poet is the speaker. |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace