hamlit terms

allusion

allusion

A reference to a well known person, place, event, literary work or work of art. Writers often make allusions to the bible, greek and roman myths, plays by Shakespeare, political and historical events and other materials.

connotation

The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.

denotation

The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word.

diction

Word choice, particularly as an element of style.

figurative language

Writing or speech not meant to be taken literally. Writers use these to express idea in a vivid and imaginary way.

hyperbole

A deliberate exaggeration or overstatement, often used for comedic effect.

Idiomatic expression

Figures of speech that cannot be understood literally. FOr example, a rainstorm might be described as ‘raining cats and dogs’.

imagery

The descriptive or figurative language used in literature to create word pictures for the reader. These pictures or images are created by details of sight, sound, tate, touch, smell, or movement.

verbal irony (see irony)

A word or a phrase is used to suggest the opposite of its usual meaning

metaphor

Figure of speech in which one thing is spoken as though it were something else. The identification suggests a comparison between the two thighs that are identified as in ‘death is a long sleep’.

personification

Form of figurative language in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics. Effective personification of things or ideas makes them seem vital and alive, as if they were human.

simile

A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two subjects using either like or as.

symbol

Anything that stands for or represents something else. A conventional symbol is one that is widely known and accepted such as a voyage symbolizing life or a skull symbolizing death.

theme

Central message or insight into life by a literary work. In most works of fiction the theme is only indirectly stated.

tone

The means by which an author conveys attitudes or what the author’s attitude coveys to the reader.

metonymy

Figure of speech in which the name of an object or concept is replaced with a word closely related to or suggested by the original, as “crown” is to “king”.

It has the effect of creating concrete and vivid images in the place of generalities.

synecdoche

Figure of speech in which a part represents the whole, as in the expression “hired hands” for workmen, or less commonly the whole representing a part as in the words “society” to refer to high society.