Allegory
a literary work in which the characters represent abstract ideas; a symbolic representation
Antecedent
the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers
Aphorism
a concise statement of a principle
Archaism
The use of deliberately old-fashioned language.
Couplet
Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme
Dramatic Iron
dramatic irony
This literary device creates tension and engages the audience, as they anticipate the characters' reactions when they eventually discover the truth.
Euphony
any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds
Foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
Gothic Novel
A novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terrors pervades the action
Inversion
the reversal of the normal order of words
Masculine Rhyme
final syllable of first word rhymes with final syllable of second word
Melodrama
A form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very, very good, the villain mean and rotten, and the heroine oh-so-pure.
Rhetorical Question
a statement that is formulated as a question but that is not supposed to be answered
Theme
the main idea of a story
Utopia
an imaginary place considered to be perfect or ideal