Intro to Literature 2300 Poetry Study Guide

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on key poetic terms and concepts from the Intro to Literature 2300 Poetry Study Guide.

Verse

A single line of poetry.

Paraphrase

A restatement of the text in one's own words.

Summary

A brief statement of the main points of a poem.

Theme

The central idea or message within a poem.

Lyric poem

A poetic form expressing personal emotions or thoughts.

Narrative poem

A poem that tells a story.

Dramatic poem

A poem written in the form of a speech by a character.

Didactic poem

A poem intended to instruct or teach.

Tone

The attitude of the poet towards the subject or audience.

Satiric poetry

Poetry that uses humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize.

Persona

The voice or character speaking in a poem.

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality.

Sarcasm

The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

Diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.

Concrete diction

Language that describes tangible, specific things.

Abstract diction

Language that describes qualities or ideas that cannot be perceived with the five senses.

Poetic diction

The elevated language often used in poetry.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work.

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word.

Connotation

The associations and emotional implications of a word.

Image

A representation of a sensory experience.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.

Simile

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

Metaphor

A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlike things.

Personification

Giving human characteristics to non-human objects.

Apostrophe

A direct address to an absent or imaginary person or thing.

Overstatement

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.

Understatement

A figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important.

Paradox

A statement that contradicts itself but contains a truth.

Pun

A form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term.

Stanza

A grouped set of lines within a poem.

Rhyme scheme

The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line.

Refrain

A repeated line or group of lines in a poem.

Ballad

A narrative poem typically in a form of a song.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely placed words.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within closely placed words.

Cacophony

The use of harsh or discordant sounds in writing.

Euphony

The use of pleasant, harmonious sounds in writing.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it describes.