Literary Terms

Abstract

Ideas or concepts that are intangible and cannot be perceived by the senses (e.g., love, freedom, justice).

Concrete

Objects or events that are tangible and can be perceived through the senses (e.g., tree, book, cat).

Anaphora

The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences to create emphasis or effect (e.g., "We shall fight in the trenches. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight in the hills.").

Aphorism

A short, pithy statement that expresses a general truth or observation about life (e.g., "Actions speak louder than words").

Begging the Question

A logical fallacy where the conclusion is assumed in one of the premises, restating the claim in different terms (e.g., "He's trustworthy because he's honest").

Catharsis

The emotional release or purification experienced by the audience through art, especially in drama, where intense emotions like pity and fear are purged.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical figure in which the structure of a phrase or sentence is reversed in the second part, creating a mirror effect (e.g., "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country").

Ethos

A mode of persuasion that appeals to the credibility or character of the speaker or writer, convincing the audience of their trustworthiness or knowledge.

Elegy

A poem or song of serious reflection, typically lamenting the death of an individual or mourning a loss (e.g., "In Memoriam" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson).

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory or illogical but reveals a deeper truth upon reflection (e.g., "This is the beginning of the end").

Syllogism

A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion (e.g., "All humans are mortal. Socrates is a human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.").

Zeugma

A figure of speech in which a single word applies to two or more parts of a sentence, often in different senses, for rhetorical or humorous effect (e.g., "She broke his car and his heart").