dissonance
the grating of incompatible sounds; a non-harmonious chord
doggerel
crude, simplistic verse, often in sing-song rhyme
doppelganger
seemingly exact doubles who appear often as a forecast of death or disaster
dramatic monologue
single speaker in literature talks to silent audience
dystopia
opposite of utopia, society where social and technological advances have served to aid corruption
elegy
lyric poem on death or mortality
encomium
laudatory poem for a legendary or real person
enjambment
continuation of syntax over line break
enumeratio
listing parts, cause, or effect for added emphasis
epic
a long narrative poem on a serious theme in a dignified style; often describes glorious or profound subject
epigram
short poem intended to impart wisdom
epigraph
quotation that is placed at the start of a work or section that expresses what will be said
epiphany
sudden realization or comprehension of the meaning of something
epistle
letter directed or sent to a group of people
epistrophe
repeat of same word(s) at the end of sentences or phrases
epitaph
lines that commemorate the dead at the burial place
epithalamium
poem that is written for the bride; celebration of a wedding
epithet
word which makes reader see the object described in a clearer or sharper light
epizeuxis
repetition of same word for emphasis
eponym
substituting the name of a famous person for a description
eulogy
formal expression of praise, usually given at funeral
euphemism
word that takes place of a more harsh or inappropriate word
euphony
sounds blending harmoniously
euphuism
elegant Victorian prose style filled with alliteration and similes, balanced sentence construction and allusions; highly elaborate and artificial style
exemplum
citing an example, tale with moral message
expletive
word interrupting syntax to give emphasis to words around it
eye of the poem
central focus of the poem
eye rhyme
words that look similar, but are pronounced differently
falling rhyme
feminine rhyme; ending with unaccented last syllable
farce
comedy of unlikely, but possible, situations; has improbable incongruities
feminine rhyme
falling rhyme; ending with unaccented last syllable
figurative image
representation of one thing by another
first person narrator
character in the story who tells the tale from his/her point of view
foil
secondary character whose purpose is the highlight the characteristics of a main character
foot
basic rhythmic unit of a line of poetry formed by two or three syllables, stressed or not
foreshadowing
event or statement that suggests a larger event that comes later
free verse
poetry without regular rhyme or meter
genre
sub-category of literature; categorizes literature by types
gothic
genre that uses eerie themes and images
haiku
japanese poetry with 3 lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables
half rhyme
words that almost rhyme; slant rhyme
head rhyme
another word for alliteration
heptameter
poem of seven metrical feet
heroic couplet
rhyming couplet in iambic pentameter
hexameter
poetic form of six metrical feet
dramatic poem
poem that has a conflict
homonyms
words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings
hubris
excessive pride/ambition which leads to character’s downfall
hyperbaton
departure from normal word order; form of inversion
hyperbole
exaggeration or deliberate overstatement
hypophora
raising a question and then proceeding to answer it
iambic
metrical foot with an unstressed first syllable and a stressed second syllable
in media res
piece of writing that begins in the middle of the action
interior monologue
recording of mental talk in character’s head
internal rhyme
rhyme that occurs within a line or passage, whether randomly or in some kind of pattern
invective
speech/writing that abuses, denounces, or attacks
inversion
switching customary order of elements in a sentence or phrase
irony
events turn out exactly the opposite of how they might be expected; saying opposite of what is meant
lament
poem of sadness or grief over the death of a loved one or some intense loss
lampoon
satire
linked rhyme
first syllable of a line echoes the last syllable of the previous line
literal image
concrete replication in words of an object or experience
litotes
type of understatement achieved by denying the opposite
loose sentence
a sentence complete before its end
lyric
poetry that explores poet’s personal interpretation of and feelings about the world
madrigal
short lyric on love or pastoral themes, sometimes put to music
masculine rhyme
rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable
melodrama
cheesy theater; often emphasizes plot and action over character development
metabasis
brief summary of what has been said and what will follow
metanoia
modifies statement by recalling it and expressing it in a better way
metaphor
comparison or analogy that states one thing IS another
meter
rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up feet
metonymy
single characteristic used to describe something outside itself
mixed metaphor
combination of incompatible comparison; trying to compare objects too dissimilar to carry off a comparison
mood
prevailing atmosphere created by language, tone, setting
narrative
a story poem
nemesis
principle of retributive justice; agent or deliverer of such justice, who exacts vengeance and metes out rewards
neologism
coinage; forming a new word, usually spontaneous; may be a slang word that has yet to find its way into mainstream
novel of manners
novel describing social habits/customs of a social group
octave
eight line stanza
ode
long poem on a serious subject that develops its theme with dignified language, intended to be sung
omniscient narrator
third-person narrator who sees into character’s heads
onomatopoeia
words that sound like what they mean
opposition
pair of elements that contrast sharply
oxymoron
phrase composed of opposites; a contradiction
palinode
poem retracting a regretted derogatory statement
parable
story told in prose or verse that illustrates a religious or ethical idea