AP LIT glossary terms

the total effect of related sensory images in a work of literature

a speech given by one character

the speaker of a literary work

a poem that laments the dead or another loss

a type of lyric poem which extols the virtues of an ideal place or time

an eight-line stanza

the turning point of action or character in a literary work; the highest moment of tension

direct address in poetry: "O, west wind..."

a work that functions on a symbolic level

a simple narrative poem that is written in quatrains, generally with a rhyme scheme of abcd

the repetition or variations of an image or idea

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers"

background information presented in a literary work

the literal meaning or dictionary definition of a word

a direct comparison between dissimilar things

poetry without a defined form, meter or rhyme scheme

a traditional aspect of a literary work

harsh or discordant sounds in a literary work

a lengthy, elevated poem celebrating the exploits of a hero

a metrical pattern: unstressed, unstressed, stressed

the release of emotion that the audience of a tragedy experiences

one who carries out the action in a literary work

an unexpected contrast between what happens and what was expected to happen

a device that enables a writer to refer to past thoughts and events

a break or pause within a line of poetry indicated by punctuation

background information presented in a literary work

a simple, symbolic story, often with animal characters

the conclusion or resolution in a literary work

one who opposes the protagonist

type of poetry which explores philosophical ideas via metaphors

the pleasant, mellifluous presentation of sounds

the author's choice of words

a representative term is used for a larger idea

extreme exaggeration (for effect)

unrhymed iambic pentameter

a brief, witty poem

a poem that tells a story

"the god from the machine"

words spoken by an actor intended to be heard by the audience but not other characters

two lines of rhyming poetry

when a poetic line is not end-stopped

the inclusion of humor to contrast with tragic elements

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

a metrical unit in poetry; a syllabic measure of a line

a clash between opposing forces

a pattern of beats in poetry

a love poem set at dawn which bids farewell to the beloved

when characters inhabit a reality different from what we consider the objective world

a brief reference to a well-known person, event, or work

a type of poetry characterized by emotion, personal feelings, and brevity

the interpretive level of a word based on its associated images

a foot of poetry consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable

writing that reflects a personal image of a character, event or concept

a formal, lengthy poem that celebrates a particular subject

devices which enable writers to operate on levels other than the literal

a verbal approximation of a sensory impression, concept, or emotion

a poem that depicts a conversation between the speaker and an implied listener