Literary Terms, Medieval Literature, and Grammar Review for English

What is alliteration?

The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words.

What is allusion?

An indirect reference to a person, event, or literary work.

What is assonance?

The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

What is a ballad?

A form of verse, often a narrative set to music, that tells a story.

What is caesura?

A pause in a line of poetry, often occurring in the middle.

What is dialogue?

The written conversational exchange between two or more characters.

What is dramatic irony?

A situation in which the audience knows more about the circumstances than the characters.

What is a dramatic poem?

A poem that tells a story and is often written in dialogue form.

What is an elegy?

A mournful poem, typically written in remembrance of someone who has died.

What is an epic poem?

A lengthy narrative poem that often involves heroic deeds and events significant to a culture.

What is an exemplum?

An example or model, often used in literature to illustrate a moral point.

What is a fabliau?

A comic, often bawdy narrative poem popular in medieval France.

What is a framed tale?

A story that contains another story or stories within it.

What is hyperbole?

Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

What is a kenning?

A compound expression in Old English and Old Norse poetry with metaphorical meaning.

What is a lyric poem?

A short poem expressing personal feelings and thoughts, often in musical form.

What is a metaphor?

A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

What is a narrative poem?

A poem that tells a story, often with a plot and characters.

What is a refrain?

A repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song.

What is repetition in poetry?

The deliberate use of the same words or phrases multiple times for emphasis.

What is a rhyme scheme?

The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem.

What is rhythm in poetry?

The pattern of sounds and beats in spoken or written language.

What is personification?

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or objects.

What is a simile?

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

What is a stanza?

A grouped set of lines in a poem, often separated by a space from other stanzas.

What is a symbol in literature?

An object, character, or event that represents a deeper meaning or concept.

What is tone in literature?

The author's attitude or emotional quality conveyed through their writing.

What is understatement?

A figure of speech in which a situation is made to seem less important than it is.

What is end rhyme?

A rhyme that occurs at the end of lines in poetry.

What is imagery?

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates mental images.

What is internal rhyme?

A rhyme that occurs within a single line of poetry.

What is onomatopoeia?

A word that phonetically imitates the sound it describes.

What is verbal irony?

A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant.

What is the feudal system?

A social system in medieval England where land was held by lords and worked by vassals.

What is feudalism?

A political and economic system based on land ownership and personal loyalty.

What is The Code of Chivalry?

A moral system that governs the behavior of knights, emphasizing bravery, honor, and respect.

What is the significance of the Church in the Middle Ages?

The Church was a central institution that influenced all aspects of life, including education and morality.

What are the Canterbury Tales?

A collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer, depicting a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury.

What is the role of the Host in the Canterbury Tales?

The Host is the character who proposes the storytelling contest among the pilgrims.

What is a ballad's structure?

Typically consists of stanzas with a simple rhyme scheme and often includes a refrain.

What is a narrative structure in the Canterbury Tales?

The tales are framed within the context of a pilgrimage, with each character telling their own story.

What is the significance of social class in the Canterbury Tales?

Each pilgrim represents a different social class, reflecting the diverse society of the time.

What is the general plot of 'The Pardoner's Prologue'?

It discusses the Pardoner's corrupt practices and his views on sin and redemption.

What is the general plot of 'A Knight's Tale'?

It tells the story of a knight's quest for honor and love, emphasizing chivalric values.

What is the general plot of 'The Wife of Bath's Tale'?

It explores themes of female empowerment and the nature of marriage through the story of a woman who has had multiple husbands.

What is the significance of women's roles in the Canterbury Tales?

Women are portrayed in various ways, reflecting the complexities of gender roles in medieval society.

What is the corruption of the church in the Canterbury Tales?

The tales critique the moral failings and hypocrisy of church officials and practices.

What are FANBOYS?

An acronym for coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

What are SWABIs?

An acronym for subordinating conjunctions: Since, When, Although, Because, If.

What are THAMOs?

An acronym for conjunctive adverbs: Therefore, However, Also, Meanwhile, Otherwise.

What is the formula for active and passive sentences?

Active sentences have the subject performing the action, while passive sentences have the subject receiving the action.

How can you identify who is doing the action in a sentence?

Look for the subject of the sentence, which typically performs the action of the verb.

How can you change an active sentence into a passive one?

Rearrange the sentence so that the object of the action becomes the subject.