AP Lit Terms

A line of three meterical feet

a concept or value that can't be seen, love, honor, courage, death

Works generally considered to be the most important to study or read

word choices that appeal to the ear, help you hear words

A metrical foot consisting of one unaccented syllable followed by one accented syllable.

A struggle between opposing forces

The structure, shape, pattern, organization, or style of a piece of literature.

repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases for poetic effect

the character in a narrative or play who is in conflict with the main character

which related the adventures of a hero upon whom rests the fate of a nation

author's own life story, first person

a controlled world where pain exists instead of pleasure

A narrative constructed so that one or more stories are embedded within another story.

a protagonist who is the antithesis of the hero

a statement delivered in such away that others on stage are presumed not to have heard him

the comparison of two things, which are alike in several aspects

A term for a poem that teaches, almost preaches. Discusses proper way to behave

Repetition in successive clauses which are usually parallel in syntax

unable to be touched

story performed by actors on a stage

witty saying, usually at the end of a poem

everything that happens in plot between the climax or crisis and the denouement

Approach to literature,emphasizes reason, harmony & imitation of ancient writers & philosophers

Basic foot of dipodic verse consisting of an unaccented, a lightly accented, and heavy syllable

a totally ridiculous comedy

The climax or turning point of a story or play

irony where character uses words which mean one thing to them but another

poem that reveals a soul in action through the speech of one character in a dramatic situation

Elevated language, often pompous and overdone

Two successive lines of poetry in iambic pentameter

The repetition of consonant sounds

Occurs when the final consonants rhyme but the vowels do not.

figure of speech which makes brief reference to an historical or literary figure, or event

A line of two metrical feet.

A line of four metrical feet.

sound device, repetition of initial beginning consonant sounds

a story which as been composed orally and then passed down by word of mouth

schematic rhyme that comes at the ends of lines of verse

Unrhymed iambic pentameter; metrical verse with no ending rhyme

An extended metaphor

form of rhyme wherein the look rather the sound is important

character who provides a contrast to another character in a play.

something out of its place in time or history

Unit of meter; metrical foot can have two or three syllables

a term applied to a group of attitudes which emphasize existence rather than the essence

The specific, exact meaning of a word; a dictionary definition

writing or speech not meant to be taken literally figure of speech.

A pair of rhyming lines written in the same meter

nickname or appellation in the illiad

A line of one metrical foot.

refers to the noble qualities of human beings and nature as opposed to the savage forces

Something of humor alleviates tension in an otherwise serious/tragic literary work

poem about morning

brief statement which expresses an observation on life

Speech peculiar to region; exhibits distinctions between two groups or even two persons

the intentional use of elevated language to describe the trivial or common place

imaginative writing; writing in which the author breaks from reality

A line of six metrical feet

A tragic flaw or error in judgment.

Conversation between two or more characters, usually set off with quotation marks

pertaining to the base side of a man

An authors choice of words

Japanese form of poetry that has three lines, respectively, with 5,7 then 5 syllables.

A work which strives to provoke smiles and laughter

A combination of harsh, unpleasant sound which create an effect of discordance

begins and ends with same setting and or narrator(s); middle is flashback

a character who is not fully developed by an author; only has one outstanding trait or feature.

assertions made based on facts, hard evidence, statistics

line of verse that reaches completion at the end of a line

A method used to reveal the personality of a character in a literary work

A form of novel in which magic, mystery, horrors, and chivalry abound

Latin for "to the man"; attacking arguer and not the argument

a novel showing the development of its central character from childhood to maturity

a quality of style marked by pleasing harmonious sounds

the claim that whatever has not been proven

Main character who has strength or moral character, a noble cause.

story written to make a moral point using animals as characters

A metrical foot consisting of two unaccented syllables.

addressing someone or something usually not present as though present

The arrangement of presentation of events and info in such a way that prepare for later events.

an awakening

Where the actual typeset layout of the poem suggests the topic

the omission of conjunctions that ordinarily join coordinate words or phrases

Unrhymed poetry lines of varying lengths, containing no specific metrical pattern.

fictional tale marked by fantasy and magic often appealing to the imagination

feelings of pity and understanding for a character

Subjective point of view when a character relays a narrative using "i"

Turning point, or crisis, in a play or other piece of literature

Technique in which the author analyzes reasons for a chain of events

larger than life presence

thought is balanced with a contrasting thought in parallel arrangements of words

also called assuming the answer

introductory material which sets the tone, introduces characters & gives setting

A pause for effect in the middle of a line of poetry

double rhyme

A specific kind or category of literature, e.g, mystery story, sonnet, romance novel.

Focuses on physically or mentally impaired characters.

similarity or repetition of a vowel sound in two or more words especially in a line of verse

Latin phrase which means, "seize the day"

line of verse that carries over into next line without a pause of any kind

The resolution of a plot after the climax

a brief quotation at the beginning of a book or chapter

form of verse to be sung or recited and characterized by a dramatic in fairly short narrative

A part of a plot in which the entanglement caused by the conflict is developed

Informal expressions that find acceptance in certain geographical areas & in certain people

a device by which an author can present action or scenes that occurred before the opening scene

Aristotle's word for pity and fear an audience experiences upon viewing the downfall of a hero

a metrical foot consisting of one accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable

an anticlimax which is unintentional

meter having two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable

A line of five metrical feet.

A metrical foot consisting of two syllables equally or almost equally accented.

an engraving on a tombstone

two extremes in a continuum of intermediate possibilities

The emotional implications that a word may carry

substitute words that sound better than another; use of inoffensive or neutral words

Three syllable foot consisting of an accented syllable followed by the unaccented syllables

expression of an idea in which gives more meaning and leave uncertainty as to the meaning

lyrical poem about death

The unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly