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Allegory
a narrative in which characters and actions represent abstract concepts apart from the literal meaning.
Alliteration
the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
Allusion
a brief reference to a person, event, or place in history, or to a work of art/literature.
Analogy
a comparison between two items, situations, or ideas that are somewhat alike but differ in most respects.
Anaphora
repetition of the first word or set of words in successive sentences or phrases.
Antagonist
a character who opposes the chief character or protagonist in a story.
Apostrophe
a figure of speech where a speaker directly addresses an absent person or personified quality.
Archetype
a character, action, or situation that represents common patterns of human life.
Aside
a short passage spoken by a character to the audience while others on stage pretend not to hear.
Assonance
the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds in stressed syllables.
Asyndeton
the omission of conjunctions from constructions where they would normally be used.
Atmosphere (mood)
the mood or feeling created for the reader by the writer in a literary work.
Ballad
a narrative poem that usually includes a repeated refrain.
Blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter, a line of five feet.
Cacophony
the use of harsh, unmelodious sounds in poetry.
Caesura
a pause or break within a line of poetry.
Carpe diem
a theme in poetry encouraging enjoyment of life's pleasures while possible.
Catharsis
the purification or purging of emotions, such as pity or fear.
Character
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction.
Characterization
the method an author uses to introduce characters to the reader.
Chiasmus
a scheme where terms are introduced in a specific order and then repeated in reverse order.
Cliché
an overused expression or phrase that has become trite and meaningless.
Climax
the decisive turning point in a story or play when the action changes course.
Conceit
an elaborate figure of speech combining metaphor, simile, hyperbole, or oxymoron.
Conflict
the struggle between opposing forces in a narrative.
Connotation
the emotional associations surrounding a word, beyond its literal meaning.
Couplet
a pair of rhyming lines with identical meter.
Denotation
the strict, literal meaning of a word.
Denouement
the resolution of the plot in a narrative.
Dialogue
the conversation between characters in a literary work.
Diction
the author's choice of words or phrases in a literary work.
Dramatic irony
a situation where the audience knows more than the characters.
Dramatic monologue
a lyric poem where the speaker addresses someone whose replies are not recorded.
Elegy
a mourning poem lamenting an individual or tragic event.
Enjambment
the continuation of a complete idea from one line of poetry to another without pause.
Epiphany
a moment of deep realization experienced by a character.
Epistrophe
repetition of a concluding word or word endings.
Euphemism
a mild phrase used instead of a blunt or painful one.
Euphony
the harmonious grouping of words for a pleasing sound.
Exposition
the opening section of a narrative revealing characters, setting, theme, and conflict.
Flashback
an interruption of the narrative to show a past episode.
Foot
a group of syllables in verse, usually one accented and associated unaccented syllables.
Foreshadowing
a hint given to the reader about what is to come.
Free verse
poetry free from a fixed pattern of meter and rhyme.
Hamartia
a tragic flaw or misperception leading to a character's downfall.
Hubris
excessive pride or self-confidence in a hero, leading to a lack of insight.
Hyperbole
a figure of speech involving great exaggeration.
Iambic pentameter
a line of verse with five metrical feet.
Imagery
sensory details that provide vividness and evoke emotions in a literary work.
In medias res
a plot that begins in the middle of events, revealing the past through flashbacks.
Irony
a contrast between what appears to be and what really is.
Juxtaposition
placing two ideas or images side by side for original or insightful meaning.
Litotes
a figure of speech stating a positive
