Key Concepts from English Literature Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover important vocabulary and concepts related to English literature as discussed in the lecture notes.

Fabliau

A comic, often bawdy narrative that focuses on everyday life and characters rather than nobility.

Mystery Plays

Dramatic works that depict biblical stories or the lives of saints, often performed by specific trades.

Morality Plays

Allegorical dramas that personify abstract concepts to convey moral lessons about good and evil.

Composite authorship

A literary tradition where texts are contributed to by multiple, often anonymous authors.

Elizabethan Drama

A period of English theatre characterized by the flourishing of drama and poetry, particularly during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Tragedy

A serious dramatic work that often ends in disaster for the main character, focusing on moral and existential themes.

Meta-theatricality

A self-reflective device in theatre that acknowledges its own performance and the nature of reality within the play.

Pyramus and Thisbe

A play-within-the-play that parallels the story of Romeo and Juliet, emphasizing tragic miscommunications.

Courtly Poetry

Poetry that praises monarchs or patrons, reflecting the political and social hierarchies of the time.

Decoram in Literature

The standard of appropriateness that governs the style, characters, and actions within literary works.