Literary Terms: Difference between revisions

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Every discipline has its own technical vocabulary; the study of literature is no different. In order to discuss fiction in an intelligent and competent manner, a familiarity (or literacy) with this vocabulary is crucial. Define each of the following words calling from various sources — reference books, lectures, your own reading — making clear your own understanding of the vocabulary. This project was started by my Introduction to Literature class at USF, during the spring of 1999. Feel free to define or add your own terms.
Every discipline has its own technical vocabulary; the study of literature is no different. In order to discuss fiction in an intelligent and competent manner, a familiarity (or literacy) with this vocabulary is crucial. Define each of the following words calling from various sources — reference books, lectures, your own reading — making clear your own understanding of the vocabulary. Feel free to define or add your own terms.


== Allegory to Bathos ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[allegory]]
* [[allegory]]
* [[alliteration]]
* [[alliteration]]
* [[allusion]]
* [[allusion]]
* ''[[anagnorisis]]''
* [[antagonist]]
* [[antagonist]]
* [[anthropomorphism]]
* [[anti-hero]]
* [[anti-hero]]
* [[apostrophe]]
* [[archetype]]
* [[archetype]]
* [[atmosphere]]
* [[atmosphere]]
* [[ballad]]
* ''[[bathos]]''
{{div col end}}
== Canon to Convention ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[canon]]
* [[canon]]
* ''[[catharsis]]''
* [[character]]
* [[character]]
* [[climax]]
* [[climax]]
* [[colloquialism]]
* [[colloquialism]]
* [[comedy]]
* [[conflict]]
* [[conflict]]
* [[convention]]
* [[convention]]
{{div col end}}
== Deconstruction to Diatribe ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[deconstruction]]
* [[deconstruction]]
* <i>[[dénouement]]</i>
* [[dénouement]]
* [[description]]
* [[description]]
* <i>[[deus ex machina]]</i>
* ''[[deus ex machina]]''
* [[diatribe]]
* [[diatribe]]
{{div col end}}
== Epic Poetry to Exposition ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Epic Poetry | epic poetry]]
* [[epigraph]]
* [[epigraph]]
* [[epiphany]]
* [[epiphany]]
* <i>[[ethos]]</i>
* ''[[ethos]]''
* [[exegesis]]
* [[exegesis]]
* [[exposition]]
* [[exposition]]
* [[ashback]]
{{div col end}}
== Fantasy to Freytag’s Formula ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[fantasy]]
* [[fiction]]
* [[figurative language]]
* [[flashback]]
* [[foil]]
* [[foil]]
* [[foreshadowing]]
* [[foreshadowing]]
* [[Freytag’s Formula]]
* [[Freytag’s Formula]]
{{div col end}}
== Genre to Lyric ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[genre]]
* [[genre]]
* [[hubris]]
* ''[[hamartia]]''
* [[hero]]
* [[heroic ideal]]
* ''[[hubris]]''
* [[hypertext]]
* [[hypertext]]
* [[hypertext fiction]]
* [[imagery]]
* [[imagery]]
* <i>[[in medias res]]</i>
* [[inciting action]]
* ''[[in medias res]]''
* [[irony]]
* [[irony]]
* [[mellodrama]]
* [[literary criticism]]
* [[literary theory]]
* ''[[logos]]''
* [[lyric]]
{{div col end}}
== Masculinity to Myth ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[masculinity]]
* [[melodrama]]
* [[metaphor]]
* [[metaphor]]
* [[metonymy]]
* [[metonymy]]
* <i>[[milieu]]</i>
* [[milieu]]
* [[mimesis]]
* ''[[mimesis]]''
* [[monologue]]
* [[monologue]]
* [[motif]]
* [[motif]]
* [[mood]]
* [[mood]]
* [[myth]]
* [[myth]]
{{div col end}}
== Narration to Oration ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[narration]]
* [[narration]]
* [[narrative]]
* [[narrative]]
* [[narrative verse]]
* [[narrator]]
* [[narrator]]
* [[novel]]
* [[novel]]
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* [[onomatopoeia]]
* [[onomatopoeia]]
* [[oration]]
* [[oration]]
{{div col end}}
== Pace to Protagonist ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[pace]]
* [[pace]]
* [[paradox]]
* [[paradox]]
* [[parody]]
* [[parody]]
* [[pathos]]
* ''[[pathos]]''
* [[person]]
* ''[[peripeteia]]''
* [[personification]]
* [[personification]]
* [[plot]]
* [[plot]]
* [[poiesis]]
* [[point of view]]
* [[point of view]]
* [[praxis]]
* [[prose]]
* [[prose]]
* [[protagonist]]
* [[protagonist]]
* [[Reader Response Criticism]]
* [[pun]]
{{div col end}}
== Resolution to Romance ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[resolution]]
* [[resolution]]
* [[reversal]]
* [[reversal]]
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* [[rhyme]]
* [[rhyme]]
* [[rising action]]
* [[rising action]]
* [[romance]]
{{div col end}}
== Satire to Syntax ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[satire]]
* [[satire]]
* [[science fiction]]
* [[science fiction]]
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* [[surrealism]]
* [[surrealism]]
* [[symbol]]
* [[symbol]]
* [[synecdoche]]
* [[synesthesia]]
* [[syntax]]
* [[syntax]]
{{div col end}}
==Text to Zeugma ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* ''[[terza rima]]''
* [[text]]
* [[text]]
* [[theme]]
* [[theme]]
* [[theoria]]
* [[tone]]
* [[tone]]
* [[tragedy]]
* [[trope]]
* [[trope]]
* [[verisimilitude]]
* [[verisimilitude]]
* [[zeugma]]
{{div col end}}
== External Links ==
* [http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072405228/student_view0/drama_glossary.html Glossary of Literary Terms] — Cursory definitions to get you on the right track from McGraw Hill’s Online Learning Center.
* [http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/1terms.html Literary Terms] — A comprehensive list by the students of Ted Nellen.
* [http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html Literary Terms] — Lilia Melani covers many of the basics in detail.
* [http://www.virtualsalt.com/a-handbook-of-rhetorical-devices/ A handbook of rhetorical devices] by Robert A. Harris.
[[Category:Projects]]

Latest revision as of 14:36, 13 August 2021

Every discipline has its own technical vocabulary; the study of literature is no different. In order to discuss fiction in an intelligent and competent manner, a familiarity (or literacy) with this vocabulary is crucial. Define each of the following words calling from various sources — reference books, lectures, your own reading — making clear your own understanding of the vocabulary. Feel free to define or add your own terms.

Allegory to Bathos

Canon to Convention

Deconstruction to Diatribe

Epic Poetry to Exposition

Fantasy to Freytag’s Formula

Genre to Lyric

Masculinity to Myth

Narration to Oration

Pace to Protagonist

Resolution to Romance

Satire to Syntax

Text to Zeugma

External Links