Poetic Devices and Literary Terms
- A figure of speech comparing two unlike things by stating one is the other.
- Purpose: To create meaning or illustrate a point.
- Example: "Time is a thief."
Simile
- A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."
- Example: "Her smile was like the sun."
Personification
- Attributing human qualities to non-human entities or objects.
- Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Imagery
- Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
- Purpose: To create a mental picture for the reader.
- Involves detailed descriptions of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures.
Foreshadowing
- A literary device that gives an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story.
- Purpose: To build anticipation and create suspense.
Allusion
- A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
- Example: Referring to someone as a "Real Romeo" alludes to Shakespeare's character.
Symbol
- An object, character, figure, or color used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
- Example: A dove often symbolizes peace.
Syllable
- A unit of pronunciation that contains a vowel sound and is part of a word.
- Example: The word "water" has two syllables: wa-ter.
Stanza
- A grouped set of lines in a poem, often set apart by a space from other stanzas.
- Note: Stanzas can have a specific number of lines and a rhyme scheme.
Quatrain
- A type of stanza or poem that consists of four lines.
- Note: Often with a specific rhyme scheme, such as ABAB.
Couplet
- A pair of consecutive lines in a poem that usually rhyme and have the same meter.
- Example: "The cat sat on the mat. / It wore a little hat."
Heroic Couplet
- A couplet that consists of two rhymed lines of iambic pentameter, often used in epic poetry.
- Example: "Then share thy pain, lest it should be / Too great for one, too small for me."