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Gravity
Terms in this set (66)
oxymoron
two terms that are put together that are ordinarily contradictory.
onomatopoeia
use of words whose sound echoes the sense
hyperbole
the use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect
paradox
an apparently contradictory statement that nevertheless contains a measure of truth
synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole
metonymy
substitution of some attributive or suggestive word for what is actually meant
anaphora
repetition of the same word or groups of words at the beginning of successive clauses
archetype
recurrent narratives, patterns of action, character types, themes, and images which are identifiable in a wide variety of works of literature
asyndeton
deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses
alliteration
repetition of initial or medial consonants in two or more adjacent words
irony
use of a word in such a way as to convey a meaning opposite to the literal meaning of the word
litote
deliberate use of understatement by the assertion of an affirmative by negating its contrary
rhetorical question
asking a question, not for the purpose of eliciting an answer but for the purpose of asserting something or denying something obliquely
simile
an explicit comparison between two things of unlike nature that yet have something in common and uses like, as, than
metaphor
an implied comparison between two things of unlike nature that yet have something in common
assonance
the repetition of similar vowels sounds, preceded and followed by different consonants, in the stressed syllables of adjacent words
consonance
the repetition of similar consonants, preceded and followed by different vowels
denotation
the dictionary meaning of a word
connotation
the range of secondary or associated feelings which a word commonly suggests or implies
antithesis
the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure
allusion
a reference in a work of literature to something outside the work
syntax
the structure of a sentence
tone
the manner in which an author expresses his or her attitude toward the subject
style
the mode of expression in language; the characteristic manner of expression of an author
anecdote
a brief story usually with a point; it may relate to a point the author wishes to make about a piece of literature
allegory
a story or visual image with a second distinct meaning, partially hidden behind its literal or visible meaning
diction
clear, precise word choice
dramatic foil
character who is contrasted to another character
prose
normal spoken or written language
cacophony
harsh joint word sounds
eponym
substitutes for a particular attribute of a famous person who is recognized for that attribute
syllepsis
use of a work with two others with each of which it is understood differently
anticlimax
occurs when an action produces far smaller results that one has been led to believe
antihero
a protagonist who markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities
aphorism
a short and usually witty saying
archaism
the use of deliberately old-fashioned language
cadence
the beat or rhythm of poetry in a general sense
neologism
(coinage) a new word, usually one invented on the spot
conceit
a startling or unusual metaphor extended over several lines.
dirge
this is a song for the dead. Its tone is typically slow, heavy, and melancholy
elegy
a type of poem that meditates on death or mortality in a serious, thoughtful manner
enjambment
the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line or couplet of a poem to the next with no pause
epitaph
lines that commemorate the dead at their burial place. It is usually a line or handful of lines, often serious or religious, but sometimes witty and even irreverent
masculine rhyme
lines rhymed by a single stressed syllable
feminine rhyme (double rhyme)
lines rhymes by their final two syllables
imperfect rhyme/ slant rhyme/ partial rhyme
vowels are only approximate or quite different
euphemism
an inoffensive expression used in place of a blunt one that is felt to be disagreeable or embarrassing
free verse
poetry written without a regular rhyme scheme or metrical pattern
blank verse
unrhymedverses rhymes iambic pentameter
interior monologue
writing that records the talking that goes on in a character's head and is coherent unlike stream of consciousness
loose and periodic sentence
complete before its end; not grammatically complete until it has reached its final phrase
parallelism
repeated syntactical similarities used for effect
parody
imitates the serious manner and characteristic features of a literary work
pastoral
a poem set in tranquil nature or more specifically, shepherds
satire
literary art of diminishing or dedicating a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking toward its attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation
Horatian satire
the speaker is an urbane, witty, and tolerant man of the world who uses a relaxed and informal language to evoke from readers a wry smile at human failings and absurdities
zeugma
the use of a word to modify two or more words, but used for different meanings
syllogism
a form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn from them
ellipsis
the omission of a word or several words necessary for a complete construction that is still understandable
imperative
the mood of a verb that gives an order
epithet
an adjective or adjective phrase that is used to describe the perceived nature of a noun by accentuating one of its dominant characteristics whether real or metaphorical
chiasmus
a sequence of two phrases or clauses which are parallel in syntax but reverse the order of the corresponding words
terza rima
a three-line stanza rhymes aba, bcb, cdc
rhyme royal
a seven-line stanza of iambic pentameter lines rhymed ababbcc
heroic couplet
two end-stopped iambic pentameter lines rhymed aa, bb, cc with the thought usually completed in the two-line unit
controlling image
When the image dominates and shapes the entire work, it's called a controlling image . A metaphysical conceit is reserved for metaphysical poems only.
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