Elements of Poetry and Figures of Speech

This set of flashcards covers vocabulary and concepts related to poetic forms, sound devices, and figures of speech based on the lecture notes.

Fixed verse

A form of poetry that applies structure through rhythmical arrangement of lines, rhymes, and meter to create rhythmic flow.

Rhyme scheme

The pattern of repeating sounds at the end of lines or stanzas in a poem.

Meter

The rhythmic structure of stressed and unstressed syllables in each line of poetry.

Lineation

The technique of breaking sentences into phrases per line.

Free verse

A form of poetry that does not follow strict rhyme schemes, meter, or lineation, unlike traditional fixed verse.

Sound devices

Tools used in poetry for expressing emotions, themes, ideas, and knowledge by deriving musicality from language.

Rhyme

A sound device referring to words with similar ending sounds, such as "said" and "head."

Onomatopoeia

Words that mimic the sound of what they represent, such as "thud" to emphasize a hitting sound.

Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, such as the "d" sound in "Stays me dreaming at my door."

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds anywhere in words, such as the long "i" sound in "Dying, I still told a lie."

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words, as seen in the "d" sounds of "Red called Ted who's in red."

Repetition

Sounds or music derived from the sheer recurrence of specific words within a poem.

Euphony

The use of words that sound pleasant together because of specific sound combinations.

Figures of speech

The creative use of language to build images in the minds of readers to convey emotions, ideas, and themes.

Simile

A comparison between two unlike things using the words "like" or "as," such as "His voice was as smooth as velvet."

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things to suggest similarity without using "like" or "as," such as "Time is a thief."

Personification

The attribution of human characteristics or actions to inanimate things, such as "the rain that wanly sobs."

Hyperbole

The use of exaggeration to emphasize, make fun of, or create a dramatic effect, such as "The words I said break with the thunder."