Literary and Rhetorical Terms

• The text is a glossary of literary and rhetorical terms to help readers understand the nuances of language, both written and spoken.

Terms and Definitions

• Abstract: A short summary of a longer piece of academic work.
• Adage: A common saying or proverb that expresses a truth based on experience, often using metaphorical language.
• Allegory: A story with a second, deeper meaning that lies beneath the surface narrative.
• Alliteration: The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a series of words or lines in a poem.
• Allusion: A reference to a person, place, or event that enhances the meaning of an idea.
• Ambiguity: A deliberate lack of clarity that allows for multiple interpretations.
• Anachronism: Something that is out of place in time.
• Analogy: A comparison highlighting similarities between dissimilar things.
• Annotation: A brief explanation, summary, or evaluation of a text or literary work.
• Antagonist: The character or force that opposes the protagonist, creating tension and conflict.
• Antithesis: A rhetorical contrast of ideas achieved through the grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences.
• Aphorism: A concise statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment.
• Apollonian: Qualities of human nature and behavior regarded as noble and godlike.
• Apostrophe: A figure of speech where a speaker addresses someone not present or a personified object.
• Archetype: A typical example of something.
• Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds in a group of words or lines in a poem.
• Ballad: A simple narrative story told in verse, often sung or recited.
• Bard: A poet.
• Bathos: Insincere, overdone sentimentality.
• Belle-lettres: A French term that describes the world of books, criticism, and literature.
• Bibliography: A list of works cited or relevant to a particular subject.
• Bildungsroman: A novel that show events that take place as the hero travels in quest of a goal.
• Bombast: Inflated language used for trivial subjects.
• Burlesque: A literary work that ridicules a subject through grotesque imitation.
• Cacophony: Harsh, discordant sounds.
• Caesura: A pause in the middle of a line of verse, often marked by punctuation.
• Canon: Those works considered most important in national literature or period.
• Caricature: A grotesque depiction of someone's striking qualities.
• Carpe diem: "Seize the day"; the enjoyment of life while one can.
• Catharsis: The cleansing of emotions (pity and terror) experienced during a dramatic tragedy.
• Classic: A highly regarded work that has stood the test of time.
• Classical, classicism: Style derived from ancient Greek and Roman culture that emphasizes formality, objectivity, simplicity, and restraint.
• Climax: The high point or turning point of a story or play.
• Conceit: A witty or ingenious thought, often expressed through figurative language.
• Connotation: The implied meaning of a word or phrase.
• Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds in a group of words or a line of poetry.
• Couplet: A pair of rhyming lines in a poem.
• Denotation: The dictionary definition of a word.
• Dénouement: The resolution at the end of a play or story.
• Deus ex machina: The use of an artificial device or gimmick to resolve a plot problem.
• Diction: The choice of words in speaking or writing.
• Dionysian: Sensual and pleasure-seeking impulses.
• Dramatic irony: When the audience knows more than the characters do.
• Elegy: A poem or prose expressing sorrow or lamentation, especially for the dead.
• Ellipsis: The omission of words from a thought or quotation, indicated by three periods (...).
• Elliptical construction: A sentence with deliberate omission of words.
• Empathy: The ability to share and understand the feelings of another.
• End-stopped: A line of poetry that ends with a natural pause, often marked by punctuation.
• Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or clause over the end of a line of poetry.
• Epic: A long narrative poem recounting the adventures of a hero.
• Epigram: A concise, witty, and insightful statement.
• Euphony: Pleasing, harmonious sounds.
• Epithet: An adjective or phrase expressing a striking quality of a person or thing.
• Eponymous: Is a term for the title character of a work.
• Euphemism: A mild term to substitute a blunt term.
• Exegesis: A detailed analysis or interpretation of a text.
• Exposé: A piece of writing that reveals weaknesses or shortcomings.
• Exposition: Background information presented at the beginning of a story or play.
• Explication: Detailed explanation or analysis of a text.
• Extended metaphor: A metaphor that is developed over several lines or throughout a work.
• Fable: A short story that conveys a moral lesson, often with animals as characters.
• Falling action: The action in a play or story after the climax, leading to the resolution.
• Fantasy: A story with unreal, imaginary elements.
• Farce: A comedy with extravagant and nonsensical elements, often with a scornful purpose.
• Figure of speech: Figurative language used to imply meanings.
• First-person narrative: A narrative told by a character involved in the story, using "I" or "we".
• Flashback: An interruption in the present action to depict events from the past.
• Foot: A unit of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry, determining the meter of a line.
• Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about events that will occur later in the story.
• Frame: A structure that provides context for a narrative.
• Free verse: Poetry without a regular rhyme scheme, rhythm, or meter.
• Genre: A category of literary composition (e.g., novel, play, essay).
• Gothic novel: A novel that has horrors.
• Harangue: A forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade.
• Hubris: Excessive pride that leads tragic heroes to their doom.
• Humanism: Emphasis faith and optimism in human potential and creativity.
• Hyperbole: Exaggeration for rhetorical effect.
• Idyll: Describes an ideal life or place.
• Image: Represents that which can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled or felt.
• In medias res: A narrative that starts at some point.
• Indirect quotation: A restatement of what someone said, without using their exact words.
• Invective: A direct verbal assault.
• Irony: A contrast between what is said and what is actually meant.
• Kenning: A metaphorical phrase used in Anglo-Saxon poetry to name a person, place, or thing indirectly.
• Lampoon: A satirical and mocking attack on a person or situation.
• Light verse: Poetry meant to entertain.
• Litotes: Understatement that expresses the contrary.
• Loose sentence: Presents main idea.
• Lyric poetry: Reflective poetry about subjects.
• Maxim: Expressing truth or wisdom.
• Melodrama: Where events are exaggerated.
• Metaphor: figure of speech that compares objects.
• Metaphysical poetry: Complexities of love and life.
• Meter: Used in poetry.
• Metonymy: Replaces with associated name.
• Middle English: language spoken in England.
• Mock epic: Parody of traditional epic.
• Mode: Expression of work.
• Montage: Succession of images.
• Mood: Emotional tone.
• Moral: Simplistic lesson.
• Motif: Repeats to unify.
• Muse: Artist inspiration.
• Myth: Imaginary traditions.
• Narrative: A story in verse or prose.
• Naturalism: Bleak and pessimistic.
• Non sequitur: That fails to follow logically.
• Novel of manners: Social groups.
• Ode: Poem with respectful feelings.
• Old English: Anglo-Saxon spoken.
• Omniscient narrator: Insight.
• Onomatopoeia: Sound suggest their meaning.
• Ottava rima: Poem with eight-line.
• Oxymoron: Has contradictory elements.
• Parable: Derived truth.
• Paradox: Statement seems contradictory.
• Parody: Imitation meant to ridicule.
• Paraphrase: Simple words.
• Pastoral: Dealing with rural life.
• Pathetic fallacy: Faulty reasoning.
• Pathos: Stimulates pity.
• Pentameter: Verse with five.
• Periodic sentence: At the end.
• Persona: Assumes or depicts.
• Personification: Are given human.
• Plot: Interrelationship.
• Picaresque novel: Lives off wits.
• Point of view: Stands to story.
• Prosody: Meter and rhythm.
• Protagonist: Main Character.
• Pseudonym: False writing.
• Pulp fiction: Mass consumption.
• Pun: Humorous play.
• Quatrain: Poem with longer poem.
• Realism: Depiction person.
• Rhetoric: Of work and style.
• Rhetorical stance: Opinion of subject.
• Rhyme: Similar sounds mostly.
• Rhyme scheme: Pattern of rhymes.
• Rhythm: Stressed and unstressed.
• Roman à clef: Actual people of fiction.
• Romance: Extraordinary people.
• Sarcasm: Caustic expression.
• Satire: Attack of ridicule.
• Scan: Meter of poetic.
• Sentiment: View or feeling.
• Sentimental: Nostalgic and mawkish.
• Setting: The total.
• Simile: Using the words.
• Sonnet: Verse chapter.
• Stanza: Subject matter.
• Stream of consciousness: The thoughts.
• Style: Convey ideas.
• Subplot: Connected to plot.
• Subtext: Meaning underlies.
• Symbolism: Original object.
• Synecdoche: Figure of speech.
• Syntax: Pattern of words.
• Theme: Main idea literature is.
• Title Character: A character whose name.
• Tone: About the subject.
• Tragedy: Hero considerable anguish.
• Trope: Figure of a speech.
• Verbal irony: True meaning situation.
• Verse: Line of poetry.
• Verisimilitude: Persuades readers.
• Versification: Verse by scansion.
• Villanelle: Spontaneous but nineteen.
• Voice: Assumed used.
• Wit: Things that surprise.