Lecture Notes on Sound, Structure, Figurative Language, and Literary Devices

Flashcards covering sound and structure devices, figurative language, and narrative devices discussed in the lecture.

Alliteration

Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words.

Blank Verse

Unrhymed iambic pentameter (10-syllable lines with alternating unstressed/stressed beats). Common in Shakespeare.

Cacophony

Harsh, jarring sounds used for effect.

Couplet

Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme.

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause.

Free Verse

Poetry that doesn’t follow a specific meter or rhyme scheme.

Stanza

A grouped set of lines in a poem, often set off by spacing.

Allusion

A reference to another work, person, or event, often historical or literary.

Anaphora

Repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

Antithesis

Placing opposite ideas side by side for contrast.

Ekphrasis

Vivid description of a work of art within a poem or story.

Epic Simile

A long, detailed simile that compares heroic or epic events to everyday events.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject or audience.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, touch, etc.).

Metaphor

A comparison saying one thing is another.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds.

Oxymoron

A phrase combining two contradictory terms.

Personification

Giving human traits to non-human things.

Simile

A comparison using like or as.

Symbol

An object or element that represents a deeper meaning or idea.

Connotation

The emotional or cultural associations of a word beyond its dictionary definition.

Denotation

The literal dictionary definition of a word.

Diction

The author's word choice, which affects tone and meaning.

Motif

A recurring element (image, idea, symbol) in a story that helps develop the theme.

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality.

Verbal irony

Saying the opposite of what you mean.

Situational irony

When the opposite of what is expected happens.

Dramatic irony

The audience knows something the characters do not.

Invocation

A poet’s call for inspiration from a muse or deity, often at the beginning of an epic.

Monologue

A long speech by one character to other characters.

Soliloquy

A speech by a character alone on stage, expressing inner thoughts.

Point of View (POV)

The perspective from which a story is told.