AP Lit - Poetry Final

Conceit

extended metaphor

Hyperbole

intentional exaggeration (form of verbal irony)

Understatement

A statement that says less than what is meant

Metonymy

substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it (suits = business executives)

Synechdoche

Substitution of part for the whole or the whole for the part

Apostrophe

A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.

Polysyndeton

the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural

Anaphora

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

Epistrophe

the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences

Verbal Irony

A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant

Dramatic Irony

when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't

Situational Irony

An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected

Shakespearean Sonnet

a sonnet consisting three quatrains and a concluding couplet (heroic) in iambic pentameter with the rhyme pattern abab cdcd efef gg

Petrarchan Sonnet

a sonnet consisting of an octave with the rhyme pattern abbaabba, followed by a sestet with the rhyme pattern cdecde or cdcdcd

Blank Verse

unrhymed iambic pentameter

Free Verse

poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter

Concrete Poem

a poem with a shape that suggests its subject

Villanelle

19 line poem with 5 three line stanzas and an ending quatrain, rhyme scheme is most often: aba, aba, aba, aba, aba, abaa

Sestina

(39 lines) 6 six-line stanzas ending with a tercet; last words of each line in 1st stanza are repeated as last words in the next stanza

Epigram

a brief poem that makes a pointed, often sarcastic comment in a surprising twist at the end

Haiku

3 unrhymed lines (5, 7, 5) usually focusing on nature

Heroic Couplet

two end-stopped iambic pentameter lines rhymed aa, bb, cc with the thought usually completed in the two-line unit

Narrative Poetry

a poem that tells a story

Epic

A long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society

Ballad

originally intended to be sung, uses repeated words and phrases (including a refrain) to advance its story

refrain

a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song

envoi

A brief ending (usually to a ballade or sestina) no more than 4 lines long; summary

Lyric

A type of poetry that explores the poet's personal interpretation of and feelings about the world.

Elegy

a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.

Ode

A lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward the subject.

Aubade

A poem about dawn; a morning love song; or a poem about the parting of lovers at dawn

Occasional

written to celebrate a particular event or occasion

Meditation

focuses on a physical object, using this object as a vehicle for considering larger issues

Pastoral

celebrates the simple, idyllic pleasures of a country life

Dramatic Monologue

when a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience

Assonance

Repetition of similar vowel sounds

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds

Euphony

an effect pleasing to the ear

Cacophony

a jarring or discordant effect

Sibilant

/s/ /sh/ /ch/ /x/

making or characterized by a hissing sound (soft, sinister)

making or characterized by a hissing sound (soft, sinister)

Plosive

"b," "p," "t" and "d" sounds - which can be harsh, aggressive or shocking.

Liquid

/l/ - this can flow, creating a sense of quick, light movement

thick/heavy when combined with dull sounds

Fricative

/th/ /v/ - voiced (hard)

/th/ /f/ - unvoiced (soft) - create an airy effect

Nasal

/m/ /n/

creates a warm resonance - evoking melancholy of tenderness

Slant/Near/Imperfect Rhyme

when the final consonant sounds are the same, but the vowel sounds are different (learn - barn / road - dead)

Eye rhyme

rhyme that appears correct from spelling but does not rhyme because of pronunciation (watch - catch)

masculine rhyme

single syllables correspond

feminine rhyme

two syllables correspond in a stessed/unstressed pattern

Allegory

A literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstract ideas

Myth

narrative that embodies the religious, philosophical, moral and political values of a culture

Caesura

a deliberate pause in the rhythm within a line

end-stopped lines

lines of poetry that end with punctuation marks

Enjambment

A run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over from one line into the next.

Enigraph

a short, relevant quotation or saying placed at the beginning of a literary work, chapter, or poem to set the tone, suggest a theme, or provide context

Litote

A figure of speech that emphasizes its subject by conscious understatement (It's not a bad idea --> It's a good idea)