emglish

Stanza

A group of lines forming a unit in a poem.

Verse

Poetry or a line of poetry, depending on context.

Rhymed verse

Poetry that uses an intentional pattern of rhyme.

Free verse

Poetry without a fixed meter or rhyme scheme.

Anaphora

Repetition of words or phrases at the beginnings of successive lines.

Symbol

Something that functions literally as itself while also carrying a deeper meaning.

Metaphor

Understanding or describing one thing in terms of another.

Elegy

A poem that mourns someone who has died.

Extended metaphor

A metaphor developed across multiple lines or throughout much of a work.

Motif

A recurring image, word, action, or idea that develops meaning throughout a work.

Allegory

A narrative with a sustained secondary or symbolic meaning.

Defamiliarization

Making something familiar seem strange or unusual so we perceive it in a new way.

Parody

Imitation of a style or work for humor, commentary, or criticism.

Bathos

A sudden shift from elevated or serious subject matter to something trivial or ridiculous.

Ballad

A narrative poem or song, traditionally rhythmic and organized into stanzas.

Internal rhyme

Rhyme between words occurring within the same line of poetry.

Anagnorisis

A character's crucial moment of recognition or discovery.

Enargeia

Language so vivid that it creates a powerful mental image for the reader.

Lyric poetry

A typically short, songlike poem expressing a speaker's emotions or personal feelings.

Persona

A dramatic character, distinct from the poet, who serves as the speaker of a poem.

Iamb

A metrical foot consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable.

Iambic pentameter

A line containing five iambs, usually totaling ten syllables.

Hyperbaton

A figure of speech that deliberately disrupts the normal expected order of words.

Allusion

A brief indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work.

Enjambment

A sentence or phrase continuing from one poetic line into the next without terminal punctuation.

Meter

The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.

Tone

The attitude or mood conveyed through vocabulary, syntax, imagery, rhyme, meter, and other techniques.

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words.

Personification

Giving human characteristics or qualities to something nonhuman.

Paradox

A seemingly contradictory statement or concept that reveals an underlying truth.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting things, ideas, or characters side by side to emphasize differences.

Fragment vs. whole

The relationship between an individual piece and the larger complete thing to which it belongs.

Perrine's Principle of Accounting

A strong interpretation should account for and explain the details found throughout the text.

Perrine's Principle of Economy

When interpretations explain the text equally well, prefer the one requiring fewer unsupported assumptions.

Who wrote "Archaic Torso of Apollo"?

Rainer Maria Rilke.

"Archaic Torso of Apollo" — Main Idea

An incomplete ancient statue still possesses tremendous artistic and transformative power.

"Archaic Torso of Apollo" — Key Concept

Fragment vs. whole: the statue is physically incomplete but still experienced as powerful and meaningful.

What happens at the end of "Archaic Torso of Apollo"?

The artwork seems to confront the viewer with the command: "You must change your life."

How does the viewer/statue relationship change in Rilke's poem?

The speaker begins by looking at the statue, but eventually the statue seems to look back at and judge the viewer.

Why is fragment vs. whole important in "Archaic Torso of Apollo"?

Although the statue is physically fragmented, the viewer still experiences it as a powerful whole.

Who wrote "I Sing the Body Electric"?

Walt Whitman.

"I Sing the Body Electric" — Main Idea

The human body has spiritual value and is deeply connected to the soul.

What poetic form does Whitman use in "I Sing the Body Electric"?

Free verse.

How does Whitman present the human body?

As beautiful, meaningful, diverse, and spiritually valuable.

What is Whitman's view of the body and soul?

The physical body and soul are deeply connected rather than completely separate.

Why does Whitman list many bodies and body parts?

The catalogues celebrate the diversity and value of human physical existence.

Who wrote "homage to my hips"?

Lucille Clifton.

"homage to my hips" — Main Idea

The speaker celebrates her body as powerful, independent, free, and confident.

What do the hips symbolize in "homage to my hips"?

Freedom, autonomy, sexuality, confidence, and personal power.

What technique is used when Clifton gives the hips independence and power?

Personification.

Why is the idea that the hips "have never been enslaved" important?

It connects bodily freedom and autonomy with a deeper historical and social meaning.

Compare Rilke, Whitman, and Clifton on the body.

Rilke focuses on a fragmented body, Whitman celebrates the whole body, and Clifton uses one body part to symbolize freedom.

Who wrote the essay on interpreting poetry?

Laurence Perrine.

What are Perrine's two major principles?

Accounting and economy.

How would Perrine evaluate an interpretation?

Ask whether it explains the textual evidence and avoids unnecessary unsupported assumptions.

Who wrote "The Egg and the Sperm"?

Emily Martin.

"The Egg and the Sperm" — Main Argument

Scientific descriptions of reproduction can reflect cultural assumptions about gender.

How has sperm traditionally been described according to Martin?

As active, aggressive, heroic, and pursuing.

How has the egg traditionally been described according to Martin?

As passive, waiting, and dependent.

Why does Martin examine scientific language?

To show that supposedly objective descriptions can contain cultural assumptions.

What larger concept does "The Egg and the Sperm" demonstrate?

The language and metaphors people use can influence how they understand reality.

Who wrote "Metaphors We Live By"?

George Lakoff and Mark Johnson.

"Metaphors We Live By" — Main Idea

Metaphors do more than decorate language; they structure how people think about reality.

What does ARGUMENT IS WAR demonstrate?

We conceptualize arguments through ideas and vocabulary associated with warfare.

Why is "attack an argument" metaphorical?

An argument is not literally attacked; warfare language structures how we conceptualize disagreement.

What does "iron fist" mean metaphorically?

Harsh or authoritarian control.

What does it mean when a country "implodes"?

It collapses internally.

What does it mean when a country "explodes"?

It fragments outward into conflict or instability.

What does "roots tracing back to Al Qaeda" mean metaphorically?

Roots represent historical origins or connections.

What does "fallen into their lap" mean?

They unexpectedly gained control or possession of something.

What does "roll up your sleeves" mean?

Prepare to begin serious work.

What does it mean to "tilt" a government in a certain direction?

To influence its decisions, behavior, or political direction.

Who wrote "O Captain! My Captain!"?

Walt Whitman.

What type of poem is "O Captain! My Captain!"?

An elegy.

Who does the Captain represent?

Abraham Lincoln.

What does the ship represent in "O Captain! My Captain!"?

The United States.

What does the voyage represent?

The Civil War.

What does reaching the port represent?

Union victory and the preservation of the United States.

What is the central tragedy of "O Captain! My Captain!"?

The nation survives and achieves victory, but Lincoln dies.

What major literary technique structures "O Captain! My Captain!"?

Extended metaphor.

Why is "O Captain! My Captain!" an elegy?

It mourns the death of Abraham Lincoln.

Who wrote "The Circular Ruins"?

Jorge Luis Borges.

What does the wizard attempt to do in "The Circular Ruins"?

He attempts to dream another human being into existence.

What is the major anagnorisis in "The Circular Ruins"?

The wizard discovers that he himself is another person's dream.

What major question does "The Circular Ruins" explore?

Whether reality can truly be distinguished from illusion or dreams.

Why is the story called "The Circular Ruins"?

The creator/creation relationship becomes circular because the dreamer discovers that he too is dreamed.

Why is fire important in "The Circular Ruins"?

Fire becomes a test that reveals the supernatural nature of dreamed beings.

What can fire be considered in "The Circular Ruins"?

A motif and symbol associated with revelation, identity, and the nature of reality.

Who wrote "Art as Technique"?

Viktor Shklovsky.

What major concept is associated with "Art as Technique"?

Defamiliarization.

What is the purpose of defamiliarization?

To disrupt automatic perception so people experience familiar things freshly.