English Literature Review

Flashcards covering literary terms, theories, and poetic devices discussed in the lecture.

Rhetoric

The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

Diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing. It can be formal, informal, colloquial, or slang depending on the context and audience.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences. Syntax affects the tone and rhythm of a text.

Denotation

The literal, dictionary definition of a word, without any emotional or cultural associations.

Connotation

The implied or suggested meaning of a word beyond its literal definition. This includes emotional or cultural associations.

Literary Theory

A set of ideas and methods used in the analysis and interpretation of literature. It includes various schools of thought that explore how texts work and what they mean.

New Criticism

Focuses on the text itself—its structure, word choices, imagery, and meaning—independent of the author's biography or historical context.

Psychoanalytic Theory

Analyzes literature through the lens of psychology, particularly Freudian concepts.

Id

The primal, instinctive part of the mind focused on desire and pleasure.

Ego

The rational part that mediates between the id and reality.

Superego

The moral conscience that incorporates social rules and values.

Reader-Response Theory

Emphasizes the reader’s role in interpreting a text. Meaning is created through the reader’s individual perspective and experience.

Reception Theory

A branch of reader-response criticism focusing on how readers in different time periods or cultures perceive a text.

New Historicism

Analyzes texts in relation to the historical and cultural context in which they were produced and received.

Sociological Theory

Examines literature through social structures, values, and class systems. It looks at how literature reflects or challenges societal norms.

Feminist Criticism

Analyzes literature through gender dynamics, exploring how texts reinforce or subvert patriarchal values.

Marxist Criticism

Focuses on class struggle, economic power, and materialism in literature.

Archetypal Theory

Analyzes literature using universal symbols, themes, and characters (like the hero, the mother, the journey) derived from myths and collective unconscious.

Biographical Criticism

Interprets a text in the context of the author's life and experiences.

Lyric Poetry

Expresses personal emotions or thoughts (e.g., sonnets, odes).

Narrative Poetry

Tells a story (e.g., epics, ballads).

Dramatic Poetry

Involves the voice of an imaginary character (e.g., verse drama like Shakespeare).

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words (e.g., “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain”).

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words (e.g., “pitter-patter” or “blank and think”).

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds (e.g., “She sells seashells by the seashore”).

Metonymy

A figure of speech where something is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it (e.g., “The crown” for royalty).

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or vice versa (e.g., “All hands on deck” — hands represent sailors).

Iamb (iambic)

A metrical foot with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (e.g., “be-CAUSE”).

Trochee (trochaic)

A metrical foot with a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (e.g., “TA-ble”).

Meter

The rhythmic pattern of a poem determined by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Lineation

The way lines are divided and arranged in a poem; it affects the visual appearance and rhythm of the poem.

Enjambment

When a sentence or phrase runs over from one line to the next without terminal punctuation.

End-stopped Line

A line of poetry that ends with a punctuation mark, indicating a pause or complete thought.