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AP British Literature - Literary Devices
literary devices and definitons - for Othello Test
45
English
11th Grade
12/09/2010

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Term
allusion
Definition
a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize
Term
analogy
Definition
a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way
Term
anaphora
Definition
the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences
Term
anastrophe
Definition
the inversion of a language or sentence's ordinary order of words (Yoda-speak)
Term
antithesis
Definition
a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced
Term
aphorism
Definition
a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance
Term
apostrophe
Definition
a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction
Term
aside
Definition
a few words or a short passage spoken by one character to the audience while the other actors on stage pretend their characters cannot hear the speaker's words
Term
chiasmus
Definition
a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed ("Susan walked in, and out rushed Mary")
Term
conditional clause
Definition
if... then statements
Term
connotation
Definition
the implied or associative meaning of a word
Term
rhyming couplet
Definition
two successive lines that share the same meter and rhyme
Term
denotation
Definition
the literal meaning of the word
Term
diction
Definition
the word choices made by the writer
Term
denouement
Definition
denouement refers to the outcome or result of a complex situation or sequence of events, an aftermath or resolution that usually occurs near the final stages of the plot. after catastrophe.
Term
dramatic irony
Definition
a situation in a narrative in which the reader knows something about present or future circumstances that the character does not know
Term
elision
Definition
the skipping of syllables to shorten words; the omission is indicated by an apostrophe
Term
ellipsis
Definition
the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context ("Some people prefer cats; others, dogs")
Term
epigram
Definition
a brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying
Term
epistrophe
Definition
the repetition of words or phrases at the end of consecutive lines or sentences
Term
euphemism
Definition
an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant (she's not the brightest crayon in the box)
Term
exposition
Definition
The use of authorial discussion to explain or summarize background material rather than revealing this information through gradual narrative detail. Often, this technique is considered unartful, especially when creative writers contrast showing (revelation through details) and telling (exposition).
Term
extended metaphor
Definition
a metaphor carried throughout an entire piece of work
Term
hyperbole
Definition
intentional exaggeration to create an effect
Term
iambic pentameter
Definition
a lightly stressed syllable followed by a heavily stressed syllable.
Term
imperative
Definition
giving advice or instructions; expressing a command or request
Term
inference
Definition
when something is deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements
Term
juxtaposition
Definition
placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast
Term
loose sentence
Definition
type of sentence that is constructed normally (S-V-O)
Term
metonymy
Definition
substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it ("the pen [writing] is mightier than the sword [actions]")
Term
motivation
Definition
a character's incentive or reason for behaving in a certain manner; that which impels a character to act
Term
octave
Definition
a group of eight lines of poetic verse
Term
onomatopeia
Definition
a word formed from the imitation of natural sounds
Term
parallelism
Definition
the use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms
Term
periodic sentence
Definition
type of sentence in which the entire main clause, the predicate and direct object, or the subject and predicate are withheld until the end
Term
prose
Definition
material that is not written in a regular meter like poetry
Term
quatrain
Definition
a group of four lines of poetic verse
Term
rhetoric
Definition
the art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner
Term
sestet
Definition
a group of six lines of poetic verse
Term
soliloquy
Definition
a characters response to the immediate situation which reveals his/her's innermost thoughts and feelings; occurs when the actor is on stage alone
Term
sonnet
Definition
lyric poem of fourteen lines, usually in iambic pentameter, with rhymes arranged according to certain definite patterns. It usually expresses a single, complete idea or thought with a reversal, twist, or change of direction in the concluding lines.
Term
synecdoche
Definition
using one part of an object to represent the entire object (referring to a car as a set of wheels)
Term
syntax
Definition
the manner in which words are arranged into sentences
Term
tragedy
Definition
a work in which the protagonist, a person of high degree, is engaged in a significant struggle and which ends in ruin or destruction
Term
volta
Definition
a sudden change in thought, direction, or emotion near the conclusion of a sonnet
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