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AP Literature Literary Devices Flashcards

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6582785410consonanceRepetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.0
6582785411personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes1
6582785412masculine rhymeA rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable2
6582785413simileA comparison using "like" or "as"3
6582785414enjambmentA run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over from one line into the next.4
6582785416rhyme schemeA regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem5
6582785417alliterationRepetition of consonant sounds6
6582785418themeCentral idea of a work of literature7
6582785419anachronismSomething out of place in time8
6582785420allusionA direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion.9
6582785422apostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.10
6582785424internal rhymeA word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line11
6582785425feminine rhymelines rhymed by their final two syllables12
6582785426assonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity13
6582785427odeA lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward the subject.14
6582785428balladA narrative poem written in four-line stanzas, characterized by swift action and narrated in a direct style.15
6582785429Shakespearean sonneta sonnet consisting three quatrains and a concluding couplet in iambic pentameter with the rhyme pattern abab cdcd efef gg16
6582785430admonitionwarning17
6582785431lyricA type of poetry that explores the poet's personal interpretation of and feelings about the world.18
6582785432Petrarchan (italian) sonneta sonnet consisting of an octave with the rhyme pattern abbaabba, followed by a sestet with the rhyme pattern cdecde or cdcdcd19
6582785433toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.20
6582785434asyndetonA construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions21
6582785435anaphoraA rhetorical figure of repetition in which the same word or phrase is repeated in (and usually at the beginning of) successive lines, clauses, or sentences.22
6582785439pastoralA work of literature dealing with rural life23
6582785440elegya sorrowful poem or speech24
6582785441meterA regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry25
6582785442end rhymeA word at the end of one line rhymes with a word at the end of another line26
6582785443hyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor27
6582785444synesthesiadescribing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound")28
6582785445slant rhymerhyme in which the vowel sounds are nearly, but not exactly the same (i.e. the words "stress" and "kiss"); sometimes called half-rhyme, near rhyme, or partial rhyme29
6582785446iambic pentameterA common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each foot containing an unaccented syllable and an accented syllable.30
6582785448Tom SwiftyA play on words31
6582785450limerickA five line poem in which lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme and lines 3 and 4 rhyme.32
6582785451coupletA pair of rhymed lines that may or may not constitute a separate stanza in a poem.33
6582785452oxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.34
6582785461polysyndetonDeliberate use of many conjunctions35
6582785462chiasmusA statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed36
6582785463caesuraA natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line.37
6582785464epistrophethe repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences38
6582785466anapestica foot consisting of two unstressed and one stressed syllable39
6582785467dactylica foot consisting of one stressed and two unstressed syllables40
6582785468iambicA common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each foot containing an unaccented syllable and an accented syllable.41
6582785469trochaica foot consisting of a stressed and unstressed syllable42
6582785470spondaic2 stressed syllables43
6582785471parallelismPhrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other44
6582785472conceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.45
6582785475heroic coupleta couplet consisting of two rhymed lines of iambic pentamenter and written in an elevated style46
6582785476aphorismA brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.47
6582785477homilyThis term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.48
6582785478epigramA brief witty poem, often satirical.49
6582785479axiomSelf-evident truth requiring no proof; universally or generally accepted principle50
6582785481antithesisA balancing of two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses.51
6582785483syntaxSentence structure52
6582785484refrainA line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.53
6582785485extended metaphorA metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.54
6582785486sestina6 six-line stanzas ending with tercet; last words of each line in 1st stanza are repeated as last words in next stanza55
6582785488free versePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme56
6582785492realismA 19th century artistic movement in which writers and painters sought to show life as it is rather than life as it should be57

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