Literary Devices and Definitions - Test #2

Deus ex machina

A character or force that appears at the end of a story or play to help resolve conflict. Word means "god from a machine."

Diction

The use of specific words in speech or writing

Denouement (day-new-mon)

The final conclusion of a dramatic or narrative plot

Doppelganger

The alter ego of a character - the suppressed side of one's personality, usually unaccepted by society

Elegy

A poem or song composed as a lament for a deceased person (O Captain! My Captain!)

Emotive language

Deliberate use of language to instill a feeling or visual

Enjambment

The continuation of reading one line of a poem to the next with no pause

Epic

An extended narrative poem in dignified language, telling the story of a legendary hero

Epilogue

A short poem or speech spoken directly to the audience following the conclusion of a novel indicating what happens after the plot ends.

Epiphany

Sudden enlightenment, a profound new outlook on the world, usually attained while doing everyday activities

Epistolary

A novel that tells its story through letters written from one character to another

Euphemism

Substitution for a harsh or offensive comment for a more politically acceptable one

Euphony

A succession of words which are pleasing to the ear