Literary periods
Literature from this period features allusions to mythology, an emphasis on nature and the natural world, and the development of tragedy as a genre. 3000 BC - 500 AD
What is the classical period?
The underlying message or moral behind a story.
What is theme?
A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as".
What is a simile?
A group of lines in a poem, similar to a paragraph in prose (regular writing).
What is a stanza?
A figure of speech that gives human characteristics to non-human things.
What is personification?
Literature from this period features dark and mysterious settings, an exploration of the supernatural and the unknown, and a melancholy or gloomy atmosphere/tone.
What is the gothic period?
The end of the story where the main conflict is completely resolved and the characters’ lives have changed in some way.
What is resolution?
A figure of speech that features the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or syllables.
What is alliteration?
Refers to the use of vivid, sensory language to create a mental picture in the reader's mind.
What is imagery?
A figure of speech that uses exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect.
What is hyperbole?
Literature from this period features an emphasis on reason and scientific thought, skepticism of religion and traditional values, and a focus on the self-improvement of humanity.
What is the Enlightenment?
The beginning of the story where the setting, characters, and other necessary background information is established.
What is exposition?
A combination of two contradictory terms.
What is an oxymoron?
Refers to the use of words or phrases that go beyond their literal meaning to create a specific effect.
What is figurative language?
A figure of speech that uses words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning for a humorous effect.
What is irony?
Literature from this period features an emphasis on imagination and emotion, an aversion to technological advancement, a rejection of rational thought/behavior over emotions, and a celebration of nature and environmental consciousness.
What is the romantic period?
Hinting at what is to come later in a narrative or story; often appears near the beginning and helps the reader develop expectations about the story.
What is foreshadowing?
A polite or indirect expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one.
What is a euphemism?
A type of poetry that does not follow a strict pattern of rhyme, meter, or structure, allowing for greater flexibility and creative expression.
What is free verse?
A figure of speech that features the repetition of vowel sounds within words.
What is assonance?
Literature from this period features plots that focus on everyday problems and struggles, the settings are ordinary or mundane, the characters are realistic and complex, and themes explore the struggles of everyday life.
What is realism?
A representation of a concept or idea in order to convey deeper meaning or significance in a story.
What is a symbol?
A reference to a person, place, thing, or event from literature, history, mythology, politics, sports, or popular culture that is assumed to be well-known by people.
What is an allusion?
When a line of poetry continues onto the next line without a pause or punctuation, creating a sense of flow or movement.
A phrase that is common in a language or culture that means something different from how it literally sounds (Ex: "The early bird gets the worm.")
What is an idiom?