Poetry Terminology Quiz

Introduction to Poetry

• Poetry is a type of literature that aims to evoke emotions and imagination in the reader.
• Poets use form, structure, and sound to connect with the reader.
• Poetry is a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings, originating from emotion and recollected in tranquility.

Types of Poetry

• Poem with 14 lines: A formal rhyme scheme, often iambic pentameter.
• Limerick: A short, humorous poem with a specific rhyme scheme (AABBA).
• Concrete Poem: Visually represents the poem's subject.
• Free Verse: Poetry without a set rhythm, rhyme scheme, line length, etc..
• Ballad: A poem that tells a story with repeated phrases, words, and a rhythm.
• Haiku: A Japanese poem with 17 syllables, typically about nature (line 5-7-5).
• Epic: A long poem about a hero's adventures and deeds.
• Elegy: A poem reflecting on death or expressing lament.

Poetry Terminology

• Poet: The writer of the poem.
• Speaker: The narrator of the poem.
• Form: The visual structure of the poem (lines, stanzas, haiku, sonnet, etc.)
• Structure: The nuts and bolts of a poem.
• Figure of Speech/Figurative Language: Adds meaning beyond the literal word (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, imagery, symbolism, alliteration, onomatopoeia).

Poetry Technology

• Quatrain: A four-line stanza.
• Stanza: A group of lines forming a verse.
• Meter: A repeated pattern of rhythm.
• Syntax: The arrangement of words in meaningful patterns.
• Theme: The universal idea, lesson, or message of the piece.

Sound Devices

• Repetition: Repeating a sound, word, phrase, or line for emphasis and unity.
• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
• Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds in words that don't end with the same consonant.
• Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds within and at the ends of words.

Analyzing Poetry

• Title: Examine the title.
• Paraphrase: Translate the poem into your own words.
• Connotation: Examine the meaning beyond the literal.
• Attitude (Tone): Analyze the speaker and poet's emotions.
• Shifts: Observe changes in the speaker's viewpoints and attitude.
• Theme: Identify the main ideas and messages of the poem.

Connotation vs. Denotation

• Connotation: The implied or suggested meaning of a word (society's interpretation), based on the context (e.g., "You are a dog" in a negative way).
• Denotation: The literal, dictionary meaning of a word (e.g., "You are a dog" literally means a dog).