Stylistic Techniques

Poetry

Structure in Poetry

Stanza A division of four or more lines having a fixed length, meter, or rhyming scheme. Similar to paragraphs.

Verse: Rhymed Verse: has a metrical form that rhymes throughout. A free verse: no set meter Blank verse un-rhyming verse written in iambic pentameter. 

Allusions: An allusion is a reference, typically brief, to a person, place, thing, event, or other literary work with which the reader is presumably familiar. As a literary device, allusion allows a writer to compress a great deal of meaning and significance into a word or phrase. However, allusions are only effective to the extent that they are recognized and understood by the reader, and that they are properly inferred and interpreted by the reader. If an allusion is obscure or misunderstood, it can lose effectiveness by confusing the reader.

Alliteration reflects repetition in two or more nearby words of initial consonant sounds. Alliteration does not refer to the repetition of consonant letters that begin words, but rather the repetition of the consonant sound at the beginning of words. For example, the phrase “kids’ coats” is alliterative; though the words begin with different consonant letters, they produce the same consonant sounds. 

Assonance the repetition of similar vowel sounds takes place in two or more words in proximity to each other within a line of poetry or prose. Assonance most often refers to the repetition of internal vowel sounds in words that do not end the same. For example, “he fell asleep under the cherry tree” is a phrase that features assonance with the repetition of the long “e” vowel, despite the fact that the words containing this vowel do not end in perfect rhymes. This allows writers the means of emphasizing important words in a phrase or line, as well as creating a sense of rhythm, enhancing mood, and offering a lyrical effect of words and sounds.

Anaphora  repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences, phrases, or clauses.  “Stay safe. Stay well. Stay happy.”

Epistrophe the repetition of phrases or words at the ends of the clauses or sentences.  “Where now? Who now? When now?”

Anadiplosis Refers to the repetition of a word or words in successive clauses in such a way that the second clause starts with the same word which marks the end of the previous clause.  The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor.

Apostrophe:  used by poets and playwrights whenever their characters address a character that isn’t present in the scene

Caesura: a rhythmical pause in a poetic line or a sentence that occurs in the middle of a line, or sometimes at the beginning and the end. At times, it occurs with punctuation; at other times it does not.

Enjambment: a line of poetry carries its idea or thought over to the next line without a grammatical pause.The end of a poetic phrase extends past the end of the poetic line. The thought or idea “steps over” the end of a line in a poem and into the beginning of the next line. The absence of punctuation allows for enjambment, and requires the reader to read through a poem’s line break without pausing in order to understand the conclusion of the thought or idea.

f something to stand in for the larger whole, in a rhetorical manner. 

Imagery: refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience or create a picture with words for a reader. By utilizing effective descriptive language and figures of speech, writers appeal to a reader’s senses of sight, taste, smell, touch, and sound, as well as internal emotion and feelings.

Symbolism: A symbol is something that stands for or suggests something else; it represents something beyond literal meaning. In literature, a symbol can be a word, object, action, character, or concept that embodies and evokes a range of additional meaning and significance.

Metaphor makes a comparison between two unlike things. As a literary device, metaphor creates implicit comparisons without the express use of “like” or “as.” Metaphor is a means of asserting that two things are identical in comparison rather than just similar. This is useful in literature for using specific images or concepts to state abstract truths.

Simile: Simile is used as a literary device to assert similarity with the help of like or as, which are language constructs that establish equivalency. A proper simile creates an explicit comparison between two things that are different enough from each other such that their comparability appears unlikely.

Juxtaposition implies a comparison or contrast. Writers create juxtaposition by placing two entities side by side to create dramatic or ironic contrast. Juxtaposition is a form of implied comparison in that there is no overt comparison or inference on the part of the writer. This allows the reader to discern how the paired entities are similar or different. 

Personification  is a figure of speech in which an idea or thing is given human attributes and/or feelings or is spoken of as if it were human. Personification is a common form of metaphor in that human characteristics are attributed to nonhuman things. This allows writers to create life and motion within inanimate objects, animals, and even abstract ideas by assigning them recognizable human behaviors and emotions.

Pathetic Fallacy  a kind of personification that gives human emotions to inanimate objects of nature; for example, referring to weather features reflecting a mood. Personification, on the other hand, is a broader term. It gives human attributes to abstract ideas, animate objects of nature, or inanimate non-natural objects.

For example, the sentence “The somber clouds darkened our mood” is a pathetic fallacy, as human attributes are given to an inanimate object of nature reflecting a mood. But, the sentence “The sparrow talked to us” is a personification because the animate object of nature – the sparrow – is given the human quality of “talking.”

Sibilance Strongly stressed consonants are created deliberately by producing air from vocal tracts. Produce hissing sounds.  Oftentimes, this is the S sound Sweet dreams of pleasant streams

Consonance refers to the repetition of the same consonant sounds in a line of text. The focus is on the sound made by consonants. Oftentimes, sounds are blended together. odds and ends

Onomatopoeia a word which imitates the natural sounds of a thing. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting. Meow, Moo, Tweet, Oink, Baa

Euphony the use of words and phrases that are have a melody or loveliness in the sounds they create. Gives pleasing and soothing effects to the ear due to repeated vowels and smooth consonant sounds

Drama (for use with "Othello") 

Irony Contrasting or contradictory statements or situations reveal a reality that is different from what appears to be true. There is dramatic, situational, and verbal irony

Antithesis refers to the juxtaposition of two opposing elements through parallel grammatical structure. Means absolute opposite,indicating when something or someone is in direct contrast or the obverse of another thing or person.

Paradox used to engage a reader to discover an underlying logic or truth in a self-contradictory or contrasting  statement or phrase. 

Litote used to state an affirmative without direct use of affirmative wording. Example: “I don’t hate it”. “Don’t” and “hate” function together to indicate the opposite meaning.

Foil reveals information, traits, values, or motivations of one character through the comparison and contrast of another character. Synecdoche a part of something is used to signify the whole- means “simultaneous meaning.” Allows for a smaller component of something to stand in for the larger whole, in a rhetorical manner. 

Hyperbole  An overstated or exaggerated statement that adds emphasis or meaning without the intention of being literally true. Often used for serious, comic, or ironic effect.

Pun A play on words that relies on a word or phrase having different meanings.  Involve words with similar or identical sounds.

Synechdoche part of something is used to signify the whole- means “simultaneous meaning.” Allows for a smaller component o

Dichotomy Divides a thing into two equal and contradictory parts, or between two opposing groups. Used for creating conflicts in stories and plays.

Double Entendre a phrase or a figure of speech that might have multiple interpretations meanings. 

Foreshadowing Hints that  something that is to follow or appear later in a story to enhance meaning. Creates suspense and dramatic tension, sets up emotional expectations, and heightens feelings  

For use with speeches

Kairos a rhetorical device that means appropriate time for an action

Ethos a rhetorical device that represents credibility, character, or an ethical appeal, which involves persuasion by the character involved

Pathosa rhetorical device that inspires emotions or feelings from readers. Greek for suffering/pain 

Logos a rhetorical device that uses facts, data, statistics, and logical appeals to convince readers or listeners