Literary Devices and Greek Terms: Allusion to Foreshadowing

ALLUSION

a reference to a person, place, work of literature, work of art, event, etc. that exists outside of a work of literature.

APOSTROPHE

an address to a person, place, thing, or abstraction -either living, dead, physically absent, or an element that cannot answer back to the address.

ARA

Greek word for curse, or consequences.

ARETE

In ancient Greek culture, it is the moral virtue, honor, or status the heroes strove to achieve.

CATHARSIS

cleanse or purge of emotions, or a "cleansing" of the situation at hand in the play. Both the audience and the characters can experience this release of emotion.

EPITHET

an adjective or phrase that delineates a personality by the attributes possessed by the person or thing. Sometimes epithets can help the reader understand a character's important characteristics.

EXTENDED METAPHOR

a metaphor that continues for several lines, or is repeated/continued throughout the text.

FORESHADOWING

the use of hints or clues in a story to suggest what action is to come. Foreshadowing is frequently used to build suspense.

HAMARTIA

one's tragic flaw.

HEROIC CODE

system of honor one must follow and defend—especially to appease the gods and divine law.

HUBRIS

excessive pride that gets in the way of the hero's judgment.

INVOCATION

an appeal to a higher power for a specific purpose.

IRONY

a contrast between expectation and reality.

DRAMATIC IRONY

when the reader/audience knows information that certain characters/figures do not know.

SITUATIONAL IRONY

when the opposite of what was expected occurs.

VERBAL IRONY

when the opposite of what is meant is said (sarcasm is a form of verbal irony).

METAPHOR

a comparison of two things without using the words "like" or "as."

MIASMA

mix up or pollution. For example, Creon's actions are causing this "pollution" in Thebes (the deaths of his family members are on his hands).

MOIRA

Greek word for fate, or the will of the gods.

PATRONYMIC

an honorary title based on one's father's name. For example: "Apollo, son of Zeus." Most patronymics are also considered epithets.

PERSONIFICATION

when a non-living subject is given living qualities.

PROVERB

a short saying that reveals a truth, usually meant to give some type of advice or lesson.

SIMILE

a comparison of two things using the words "like" or "as."

SYMBOL

an object, person, or place that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for something larger than itself. A symbol can be an idea or concept, or a concrete thing that represents an abstraction.

THUMOS

anger, or heroic anger according to heroic code. This is anger that stems from a perceived injustice, which fills one with the desire to fight/retaliate against said injustice.