Poetry Terms
the narrative voice of the poem.
What is the speaker?
the emotional quality of a passage or the perceived attitude of a speaker towards a thing or idea in the text.
What is tone?
resolution of a conflict through an unforeseen divine force
What is deus ex machina?
ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, teach.
What is satirical?
a basic comparison of two generally unlike things that produced insight.
What is metaphor?
a combination of sounds that produces a harsh or discordant effect.
What is cacophony?
the author's choice of words based on their exact or connotative meaning for effect.
What is diction?
type of drama leading to the downfall of a character with intellectual stature and outstanding abilities
What is tragedy?
instructive; author attempts to educate or instruct the reader.
What is didactic?
an extended poem that often tells the tale of a hero's journey
What is an Epic
the repetition of vowel sounds: “which din dims the light.”
What is assonance?
what a word suggests beyond its denotative (precise or dictionary) meaning, including social or emotional connections.
What is connotation?
poem with an imaginary speaker speaking to an imaginary audience. In a successful example, the persona will not be confused with the poet
What is a dramatic monologue?
serious in purpose and convention (no slang, contractions; no idioms).
What is formal?
Comparing two things or instances in time often based on their structure and used to explain a complex idea in simpler terms
What is analogy?
a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole, e.g. “wheels” for “car.”
What is synecdoche?
a clever little story; a short account of an interesting situation relevant to the text and used as example.
What is an anecdote?
Consists of 5 Acts that follow the downfall of the protagonist or Tragic Hero.
What is a Shakespearean Tragedy?
short, to the point.
What is terse?
An intentionally exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally but creating a desired humorous effect
What is a hyperbole?
represented by a two syllable foot that contains one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
What is iambic meter?
a moment of insight, spiritual or personal; a character's sudden revelation about life or his or her own circumstances.
What is epiphany?
Led by a conductor and consisting of singers and dancers who moved and sang together, acting as one character, or as representatives of a general population.
What is the chorus?
learned, polished, scholarly.
What is erudite?
a short quotation or verse that precedes a poem (or any text) to set the tone, provide a setting, or give other context for the poem.
What is an epigram?