Literary Terms Shakespeare

Monologue

A long speech given by a character and addressed to other characters that are on stage

Soliloquy

A long speech in which a character who is onstage alone expresses his or her thoughts aloud

Aside

Words that are spoken by a character in a play to the audience or to another character but is not supposed to be overheard by the others onstage. In Shakespeares drama, the device was widely used too allow the true feelings of the character to be made known to the audience

Pun

A play on words (often using words that sound alike but are spelled differently or have different meanings)

EX: I’ve been to the dentist many times so I know the drill.

Iambic pentameter

A line of verse written in 5 poetic feet where each foot has one unstressed syllable, followed by a stressed syllable - 10 syllables in total per line

EX: Two Houses both alike in dignity

Dramatic irony

Occurs when the audience or reader is aware of information that the characters in a play or a text are not

Verbal irony

Occurs when a person says or writes the opposite of what they mean. Verbal irony is often used for emphasis or comedic effect, like sarcasm

Situational irony

Occurs when the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what is expected.

EX: A fire station burns down, A police station gets robbed, A divorce lawyer gets divorced

Paradox

A statement that seems to be contradictory but that makes sense when considered from a particular perspective or a statement that seems to make sense but is illogical upon further consideration

EX: You have to spend money to make money, No one goes to that restaurant; it’s too crowded

Alliteration

Repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent words ( Words that are next to one another)

EX: Chocolate is my Achilles heel

Allusion

A reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of literary, historical, or political significance that the reader is expected to notice or understand

Assonance

The repetition of the same or similar vowel sounds within words, phrases, or sentences that are next to or near one another

EX: Her green eyes seem to beam rays of sunshine

Character Foil

A character who contrasts with another character; typically, a character who contrasts with the main character, in order to better highlight certain qualities of the Main character

Foreshadowing

Occurs when an author hints at future plot developments (Things that happen later on into the story)

Hyperbole

An exaggeration used for emphasis

EX: i’m starving; This is the longest day ever

Imagery

The use of descriptive language that appeals to the 5 senses

Oxymoron

a figure of speech in which seemingly contradictory term appear together as one; a pairing of opposites

EX: silent scream, deafening silence

onomatopoeia

The use of a word that imitates the sound that it describes

EX: boom, clunk, buzz

Personification

Giving human characteristics to things that are not human

EX: The sun smiled

Metaphor

A comparison between 2 things; used to equate one thing with another

EX: the track star was a cheetah

Simile

A comparison between 2 things using like or as

EX: the track star was as fast as a cheetah

Symbol

Something ( usually an object) that is used to represent a larger idea or concept

EX: a dove represents peace

Theme

A central topic, subject, or message in a work of literature.

EX: a central theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is to have empathy for others

Tone

The authors or speaker’s attitude or feelings towards the subject matter

Mood

The emotions that a text elicits in the reader or viewer

Connotation

refers to the associations that a word carries; a word’s meaning that is implied rather than stated directly

Denotation

refers to the literal, dictionary definition of a word