Poetry and Critical Approaches - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on poetry, criticism, and analysis.

Allusion

A brief, indirect reference to a person, event, place, or text outside the work.

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line or stanza, used to bridge lines and create flow.

Parenthesis

A punctuation mark used to insert a side thought or aside; signals an additional voice or digression within the text.

Narrator

The voice telling the story or poem; may be distinct from the author.

Dramatic I (Every eye is a dramatic I)

A concept where the speaker’s voice in a poem is a dramatic, attention-getting ‘I’ that engages the reader.

Idiosyncratic

Peculiar to an individual; highly individual or unique in style or voice.

Connotation

The ideas, emotions, or associations a word evokes beyond its literal meaning.

Intertextuality

The shaping of a text’s meaning through its relationship to other texts, including allusions and references.

Reader-response criticism

A critical approach that centers on the reader’s interpretation and experience in deriving meaning.

Biographical criticism

An approach that analyzes how the author’s life and experiences influence a text.

Historical criticism

An approach that considers the historical context and events surrounding a work to understand its meaning.

Epic poem

A long narrative poem that depicts heroic deeds and cultural values.

Universal

Relating to or applying to all people or cultures; a theme with broad applicability.