Poetry & Literature Terms

A poem designed to express emotions, feelings, or ideas. Most contemporary poems are this style

A group of lines that form a unit, often set off by a space above or below

Line structure where the syntax of the line isn't completed at the line's end, but carries over to the next line

Line structure where the syntax of the line is completed at the line's end

The repetition of the initial consonant of words that are clustered together

A reference to something well known (person, place, event, etc...)

The repetition of vowel sounds between and within words that are clustered together

What a word implies or suggests

The repetition of consonant sounds at any point of words (not necessarily at the beginning)

The literal meaning of a word

Vivid or descriptive language to appeal to one or more senses (DOES NOT have to be visual)

A symbolic comparison made by directly stating one thing as another, or substituting one thing for the other

A comparison using like or as

A type of metaphor in which part of something is used to represent the whole thing

Grammatical structure

Attitude of the speaker, narrator, or author toward the subject

A person’s control over their own life; autonomy

A repeated element (key word, idea, phrase, symbol) that contributes to the greater meaning of the story

The juxtaposition of opposing elements thereby highlighting the traits of one or both

A convergence of different aspects of one’s identity that forms a unique identity with particular features/pressures/conflicts distinct from the individual identities that converge

A coming of age story; typically a young protagonist journeys out into the world and returns changed

The story of the birth or development of the artist

A poem of praise that elevate the subject, and uses elevated language to do so

A key word, phrase, or line that gets repeated throughout the poem

Poetry that does not have any fixed meter or rhyme scheme (though it might rhyme in places) or specific structural riles to follow (this becomes the dominant form of 20th century poetry)

A repeated word or phrase at the beginning of lines

A list of items

The idea or belief that perspective influences understanding; different perspectives will understand things differently

The stylistic choices an author makes

A consecutive pair of rhymed lines

A period of heavy emphasis on rational thought and empiricism

Dialogue, the narrator relates the character’s thoughts through the character’s own words

The statement of what a person said without quoting the exact words, a relaying of thoughts

When an author temporarily taps into a character’s mind to convey their thoughts or feelings

Placing two concepts or objects next to one another

The rejection of Romantic idealism, responding to two historical changes: transformation to a more urban society and WWI, which challenged belief in human progress

An idealistic, anti-institution philosophy that values and believes in the individual and capability, and sees nature as restorative

The space between clearly demarcated areas of identity and belonging

A type of metaphor in which something that is closely associated is used to represent it (ex: White House = presidency)

A philosophy that valued nature, beauty, emotion, and nostalgia, while still valuing the individual

Point of view, the perspective from which the events of a story are witnessed

The attribution of human characteristics to something nonhuman