English EMPA

Dramatic Irony

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

Figurative language

Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.

exposition

A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.

conceit

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.

symbol

A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.

Round/Complex Character

A character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work

Charaternym

is literary technique in which distinctive personality traits of a character are reflected in through their name itself.

couplet

two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme, that form a unit/ at least Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

iamb

an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Hamartia

a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine

verbal Irony

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

solioquy

a monologue in which the character in a play is alone and speaking only to himself or herself

disguise

the act of concealing the identity of something by modifying its appearance

magic

the use of spells, incantations, words, and actions in an attempt to compel supernatural forces to act in certain ways, whether for good or for evil

stereotypical character

An oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person

Flat Characters

Characters who are simple and one dimensional in their character.

Malapropisms

the inadvertent, incorrect uses of a word or phrase in place of one that sounds like it

End stopped line

A line that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation

blank verse

Poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter

understatement

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.

situational irony

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

Monolouge

a long speech by one actor in a play or movie, or as part of a theatrical or broadcast program.

suspension of belief

a willingness to suspend one's critical faculties and believe the unbelievable; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment

Evesdropping

to listen in or over hear what others are saying. It invades the person's privacy.

Dynamic Characters

Characters that develop and grow throughout the course of a story.

asides

remarks made to the audience or to one character; the other characters onstage do not hear an aside

verse

writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme

enjambed line

a line of poetry in which the meaning of the line requires the reader to continue on to the next line without pausing for punctuation.

pun

A play on words

caesura

A natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line.

Imagery

visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

multiple plot

A development in which two or more stories are both contrasted and woven together.

mistaken identity

A common device in Shakespeare's writing in which a character, intentionally or unintentionally, are mistaken for another character

music

A set of tones and overtones combined in ways that are pleasing to the ear.

static Characters

Characters that remain the same throughout the story.

Sitchomythia

Dialogue in which two characters speak alternate lines of verse

Prose

written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.

iambic pentameter

a poetic meter that is made up of 5 stressed syllables each followed by an unstressed syllable

Allusion

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event within a piece of literature

Chatharsis

the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

just so that

there is an even number of terms