Literary Terms #2

A series of vocabulary flashcards covering key literary terms, concepts, and critical theories.

Novel

A lengthy fictional narrative that explores human experiences through a connected sequence of events and characters.

Novella

A shorter fictional work, longer than a short story but shorter than a novel, typically focusing on a single incident or character.

Octometer

A poetic meter consisting of eight metrical feet per line.

Omniscient narrator

A narrative voice that possesses complete knowledge of all characters, events, and settings within a story.

Palimpsest

Originally, a manuscript page that has been scraped clean for reuse, but still bears traces of the original writing; metaphorically, it refers to something that has been altered but still shows evidence of its earlier form.

Palindrome

A word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward, such as 'madam' or 'racecar'.

Parole

In linguistics, refers to the concrete use of language in everyday speech by individuals, as opposed to 'langue', which is the abstract system of language.

Pentameter

A line of verse consisting of five metrical feet.

Persona

The voice or character adopted by an author in a literary work, distinct from the author's own personality.

Marxist Criticism

A critical approach that interprets literature based on the socio-economic theories of Karl Marx.

Narrative Theory

The study of narrative structures and how they affect our perception and interpretation of stories.

Bowdlerize

To censor or remove material from a text that is considered improper or offensive, often distorting its meaning.

Climax

The peak of tension or conflict in a narrative, typically the point at which the plot turns.

Deus Ex Machina

A plot device whereby an unexpected power or event resolves what seems to be an unsolvable issue.

Denouement

The final tying up of the conflicts of a narrative, after the climax and bringing closure to the story.

Dialectic

A mode of argument that is the interchange of opposing ideas to arrive at a higher truth.

Dialogue

A conversation between characters in a piece of literature that advances the plot or reveals character.

Didactic

A style of composition intended to instruct or impart moral, philosophical, or practical guidance.

Digression

A brief departure from the main topic or storyline, often to provide background or thematic enrichment.

Dimeter

A line of verse consisting of two metrical feet.

Deconstruction

A critical practice that subverts the usual assumptions made about language, meaning, and structure in a text.

Ethnic Studies

A multidisciplinary academic field that examines the histories and cultures of suppressed racial and ethnic groups.

Magic Realism

A kind of modern fiction that includes fantastical events in a narrative that otherwise maintains a realistic tone.

Mannerism

A term for the self-conscious cultivation of peculiarities in style in literary works.

Melodrama

A popular form of sensational drama that flourished in the 19th-century theatre.

Metadrama

Drama about drama, drawing attention to its own fictional status.

Mimesis

The Greek word for imitation, central to aesthetic and literary theory since Aristotle.

Monometer

A verse line consisting of only one foot.

Naturalism

A type of realism that depicts how human beings are often passive victims of natural forces and social environment.

Nemesis

Retribution or punishment for wrongdoing; or the agent carrying out such punishment.

Neoclassicism

The literary principle guided by rules and precedents derived from ancient Greek and Roman authors.

Lacanian Criticism

Literary analysis focused on the unconscious and the symbolic order as they shape understanding of identity.

Pot-boiler

A derogatory term for a work written mainly to earn money.

Propagandism

Works written to serve the purpose of persuading people to support a particular cause.

Prose

The form of written language that is not organized according to formal patterns of verse.

Protagonist

The chief character in a play or story opposed by the antagonist.

Psychomancy

Describes a battle between vice and virtue; a battle for the soul.

Realism

A mode of writing that gives the impression of faithfully reflecting actual life.

Restoration

The literary period following the English Civil War after the exile of King Charles II.

Rhetoric

The deliberate use of eloquence to achieve persuasive effect.

Rhetorical question

A question asked for effect rather than to elicit a response.

Postcolonial criticism

Considers cultural-political questions of identity and power during and after colonial periods.

Poststructuralism

Reacts against structuralist claims, emphasizing the instability of meanings.

Surrealism

An anti-rational movement exploring meaning and limits of reality through art and literature.

Syllogism

A logical argument containing deductive reasoning from two propositions.

Synonym

A word that has a similar meaning to another word.

Tetrameter

A verse line of four metrical feet.

Third-person narrator

A narrative style where the narrator is not a character within the story.

Transcendentalism

A mid-19th century philosophical movement emphasizing natural phenomena as symbols of spiritual truths.

Trimeter

A verse line of three metrical feet.

Type

A fictional character representing a class or group.

Reader-Response Criticism

A literary theory focusing on the responses of the reader to the text.

Grotesque

Characterized by bizarre distortions; freakish caricatures of people’s appearances.

Hagiography

Writing devoted to recording and glorifying the lives of saints.

Heptameter

A line of verse composed of seven metrical feet.

Hermeneutics

The theory of interpretation concerned with understanding the meaning of texts.

Hero

The main character in a narrative or dramatic work.

Heteroglossia

Conflicting discourses within any field of linguistic activity.

Hexameter

A verse line of six metrical feet.

Hubris

Excessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to downfall.

Humanism

Values and ideals of the Renaissance period emphasizing human agency.

Historical Criticism

Analyzes a text by the historical context of when it was written.

Hypertext

A genre of electronic literature using links for non-linear interactions.

In Medias Res

A literary technique that begins a narrative in the middle of events.

Intentional Fallacy

The problem of judging a work by assuming the intent of the author.

Interior Monologue

A narrative technique displaying a character's thoughts to the reader.

Langue

The system of internalized, shared rules governing a language.

Litany

A poem that involves repeated phrases and sections.

Literati

The collective term for educated individuals involved in literary work.

Logocentrism

A philosophy prioritizing spoken and written language in understanding meaning.

Machiavel

A type of stage villain found in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.

Jungian (Myth) Criticism

Literary criticism based on Carl Jung's theories of archetypes and the unconscious.

Typography

The art of arranging printed words for legibility and appeal.

Typology

A system of interpretation applied to categorize texts based on types.

Univocal

Having only one meaning; unmistakable in sense.

Unreliable Narrator

A narrator whose perspective appears to be biased or false.

Utopia

An imagined ideal human society.

Vaudeville

A popular variety show featuring mixed acts in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Verisimilitude

The appearance of being true or real in literary works.

Structuralism

A school of thought in humanities focused on language as a system of signs.

Anachronism

Something that belongs to a time other than the one it exists in.

Angst

An unfocused feeling of anxiety or dread about human experiences.

Antagonist

A character or force that opposes the protagonist.

Anticlimax

A disappointing conclusion following an exciting build-up.

Antihero

A central character who lacks traditional heroic qualities.

Anxiety of influence

A term describing writers' struggles in drawing inspiration from predecessors.

Apocalyptic

Descriptive of the destruction of the world.

Apollonian & Dionysian

Terms relating to opposing aspects of human nature; reason vs chaos.

Apology

A formal defense or justification of actions or beliefs.

African American Studies

An academic field exploring the histories and cultures of African Americans.

Biographical Criticism

A method examining the relationship between an author's work and their life.

Dystopia

An extremely unpleasant imaginary world, often set in the future.

Epiphany

A sudden revelatory experience or insight, defined secularly by James Joyce.

Episodic

A narrative consisting of loosely connected incidents.

Epistle

A letter; in literature, a poem in the form of a letter.

Epistolary Novel

A novel written in the form of letters exchanged between characters.

Essay

A short prose work discussing a subject without claiming to be exhaustive.

Exegesis

The interpretation or explanation of a text.

Exposition

The presentation of characters and plot, often referring to previous events.

Feminist Criticism

A mode of literary discussion inspired by modern feminist thought.