English - Literary Terms

Metaphor

a comparison where one thing is described as another without using "like" or "as"

Simile

a comparison using "like" or "as"

Personification

giving human qualities to non-human things

Symbolism

using an object/character/image to represent a wider idea

Motif

a recurring image

Semantic Field

a group of words linked by a common theme

Extended Metaphor

a metaphor developed over several lines or the whole text

Juxtaposition

placing contrasting ideas side by side

Antithesis

directly contrasting opposing ideas in a balanced structure

Paradox

a seemingly contradictory statement that contains truth

Oxymoron

two contradictory words placed together

Irony

when appearance and reality differ

Dramatic Irony

when the audience knows something characters do not

Foreshadowing

hints about future events

Cyclical Structure

ending a text in a similar place to where it began

Equivocation

deliberately ambiguous language with multiple meanings deceive, mislead, or hide the truth without technically telling a direct lie

Anaphora

repetition at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences

Epistrophe

repetition at the end of successive clauses or sentences

Anadiplosis

repeating the last word of one clause at the start of the next

Chiasmus

a reversal of grammatical or conceptual structure

Antimetabole

repetition of the same words in reverse order

Parallelism

repeating a similar grammatical structure

Polyptoton

repeating words from the same root in different forms

Anadiplosis

repetition of the final word of one clause at the start of the next

Hamartia

a tragic hero's fatal flaw

Hubris

excessive pride or overconfidence

Anagnorisis

a moment of recognition or realisation

Allegory

a story in which characters and events represent real ideas or historical events

Satire

using humour, irony, or exaggeration to expose and criticise

Soliloquy

a speech revealing a character's private thoughts while alone on stage

Tragic Hero

a noble character brought down by their fatal flaw

Pathetic Fallacy

weather reflecting mood or events

Euphemism

replacing a harsh idea with softer language

Hyperbole

deliberate exaggeration for effect

Alliteration

repetition of initial consonant sounds

Sibilance

repetition of 's' sounds

Plosives

repetition of harsh sounds such as b

Repetition

repeating words or phrases for emphasis

Tricolon

grouping ideas in threes for impact

Imagery

descriptive language appealing to the senses

Propaganda

language designed to influence opinion or behaviour

Didactic

intended to teach a moral or lesson