AP Lit Terms (Quizlet)

a song of prayer for the dead

in drama, a character speaks alone on stage to allow his/her thoughts and ideas to be conveyed to the audience

a short narrative

two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

In Greek drama, the group of citizens who stand outside the main action on stage and comment on it.

In poetry, refers to the stressed portion of a word.

a literary work in which the characters represent abstract ideas; a symbolic representation

the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.

a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way

harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance

A form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very, very good, the villain mean and rotten, and the heroine oh-so-pure.

the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line of verse into the next line without a pause

The main idea of the story

conformity to accepted standards of conduct; proper behavior

The primary position taken by a writer or speaker

A poem or speech expressing sorrow

a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

Any popular narrative poem, often with epic subject and usually in lyric form.

The dictionary definition of a word

unrhymed verse without a consistent metrical pattern

harsh or grating sounds that do not go together

final syllable of first word rhymes with final syllable of second word (scald recalled)

the character flaw or error of a tragic hero that leads to his downfall

rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words

a reference to another work of literature, person, or event

A disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events

a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor

An intensely passionate verse or section of verse, usually of love or praise.

Repetition of consonant sounds

irony occurs when the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play

repetition of initial consonant sounds

the use of a series of words, phrases, or sentences that have similar grammatical form

a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage

A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.

A grammatical situation involving the words "if" and "were," setting up a hypothetical situation.

an obvious truth

speech or writing that sounds grand or important but has little meaning

a fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem

Excessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy

a comedy that contains an extravagant/nonsensical disregard of seriousness - may have a serious, scornful purpose

a personal presentation of events and characters, influenced by the author's feelings and opinions

a fanciful expression, an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects

a contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens

the speaker, voice, or character assumed by the author of a piece of writing

a writer's or speaker's choice of words

a character whose personality and attitude contrast sharply with those of another

the reversal of the normal order of words

something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred

a long narrative poem written in elevated style - adventures, characters - high position & history of a race or nation

the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot

a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation

typically complex, discusses intangible qualities like good and evil, and seldom uses examples to support its points.

the act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas etc.

a formal poem presenting a meditation on death or another solemn theme

a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision

the attribution of human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects

a statement that is formulated as a question but that is not supposed to be answered

the implied or associative meaning of a word

a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person

the repetition of one or more phrases or lines at definite intervals in a poem, usually at the end of a stanza

When a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience.

The emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene.

a narrative technique that reveals internal thoughts, memories, and ideas of a character - long passage of thought

a work which imitates another in a ridiculous manner

drawing, imitation, or description that ridiculously exaggerates peculiarities or defects

a literary work idealizing the rural life (especially the life of shepherds)

The use of deliberately old-fashioned language.

The use of disturbing themes in comedy.

a word that is used to stand for something else that it has attributes of or is associated with

address to an absent or imaginary person

a play on words, often achieved through the use of words with similar sounds but different meanings

any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds

a brief statement written on a tomb or gravestone

a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor

a major division of a long poem

an emotional or psychological cleansing that brings relief or renewal

Dry and theoretical writing. When a piece of writing seems to be sucking all the life out of its subject with analysis.

a figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradictory terms

an impersonal presentation of events and characters

Used as an adjective meaning "appealing to the senses."

ridicule with satire

When a word is used with two adjacent words in the same construction, but only makes literal sense with one of them

the basic unit of rhythmic measurement in a line of poetry

a brief statement that presents the main points in a concise form

a device in literature where an object represents an idea.

standard or cliched character types: the drunk, the miser, the foolish girl, etc.

a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow)

a novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terrors pervades the action

The use of words that imitate sounds

of or relating to a category of poetry that expresses emotion (often in a songlike way)

The protagonist's arch enemy or supreme and persistent difficulty.

a protagonist who lacks the characteristics that would make him a hero

the main character in a literary work

a mild, indirect, or vague term substituting for a harsh, blunt, or offensive term

the repetition of vowel sounds

badly written or trivial verse, often with a singsong rhythm

A pause within a line of poetry

latter two syllables of first word rhyme with latter two syllables of second word (ceiling appealing)

a simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson