Anglo Saxon Vocabulary

Alliteration
The use of the same letter or sound at the beginning of words that are close together.
Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Caesura
A pause within a line of poetry, often indicated by punctuation or a natural break in the flow of words.
Example: "To err is human; to forgive divine." (Alexander Pope)

Characterization
The way that a writer makes characters in a book or play seem real.
Example: "A work of comic brilliance and masterly characterization."

In Media Res
Into the middle of proceedings; into the midst of affairs. Frequently used in reference to a literary work.
Example: "He began his story in medias res."

Epic
A long poem about the actions of great men and women or about a nation’s history; this style of poetry.
Example: "The creative genius of Greek epic."

Epic Hero
A brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events.
Example: "Beowulf: A legendary Geatish warrior who battles monsters and dragons in the epic poem Beowulf."

Foreshadowing
To be a sign of something that will happen in the future.
Example: "His sudden death had been foreshadowed by earlier health scares."

Irony
The funny or strange aspect of a situation that is very different from what you expect; a situation like this.
Example: "The irony is that when he finally got the job, he discovered he didn't like it."

Kennings
To know (a thing); to have knowledge of or about (a thing, place, person, etc.), to be acquainted with; to understand.

Imagery
Language that produces pictures in the minds of people reading or listening.
Example: "Poetic imagery."

Assonance
The effect created when two syllables in words that are close together have the same vowel sound but different consonants, or the same consonants but different vowels.
Example: "Sonnet and porridge or cold and killed."

Archetype
The original pattern or model from which copies are made; a prototype.

Lair
A place for animals to lie down in, for beasts of chase or of prey.
Example: "The bear slept in its lair in the cave."

Stalk
To harass or persecute (a person) with unwanted, obsessive, and usually threatening attention over an extended period of time.
Example: "He decided to stalk the deer while hunting."

Gorge
A narrow opening between hills; a ravine with rocky walls, especially one that gives passage to a stream.
Example: "We hiked to the bottom of the gorge to see the waterfall."

Gruesome
Inspiring fear, awe, or horror; such as to cause one to shudder with fear; fearful, horrible, grisly.
Example: "The movie had some gruesome scenes that were hard to watch."

Writhing
To contort the body as a result of some strong feeling or emotion, such as pain, distress, or ecstasy.
Example: "The fish was writhing on the dock after being caught."

Loathsome
Exciting disgust or loathing, often in a physical sense; offensive to the senses.
Example: "The loathsome smell in the trash made her gag."

Massive
Of a physical object: forming or consisting of a large mass; having great size and weight or solidity; impressively or unusually large.
Example: "The massive truck drove down the highway, taking up two lanes."

Purge
To remove by a cleansing or purifying operation (also figurative); to clear away.
Example: "The school decided to purge old books from the library."

Reparation
The action of making amends for a wrong or harm done by providing payment or other assistance to the wronged party.
Example: "He made reparation for breaking his friend’s toy by buying a new one."

Solace
Comfort, consolation; alleviation of sorrow, distress, or discomfort.
Example: "She found solace in reading a good book after a long day."

Purport
Of a document, picture, or object: to seem; in later use, to claim or assert.

Credible
Able to be believed in, justifying confidence; convincingly honest, principled, or authentic.

Assertion
The action of declaring or positively stating; declaration, affirmation, averment.

Presume
To assume; to take for granted; to presuppose; to anticipate, count upon, or expect.

Contradictory
Mutually opposed or inconsistent; that contradict or are at variance with each other.