Unit 1 Drama
allusion
short reference to something or someone outside the text
ambiguity
unclear meaning or uncertainty of intention
anagnorisis
recognition of some hidden truth
anaphora
repetition of a word of phrase at the start of a series of clauses
annotate
to make notes that comment upon a literary work
antonym
a word that means the opposite of another word
aside
words spoken by one character that other characters don’t hear
backstory
background that is important to understanding the events of a story
bier
a stand or frame for a corpse and/or coffin to rest on
blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter
catharsis
a moment of spiritual and emotional release
characters
the people in the story or drama
Chorus
a group of men who take the role of an anonymous crowd and typically represent the opinions of the general populace
climax
final confrontation or key moment that concludes the rising action
close-reading
the careful analysis of a text
comedy
play in which problems are resolved in a happy or satisfying way
connotation
an implied meaning
context
sentences or phrases before and after a word that help determine meaning
demonstrative pronoun
pronoun that points to and identifies a noun or another pronoun
denotative meaning
the literal, or dictionary, definition of a word
Dionysia
annual religious festival honoring the Greek god of the harvest
dramatic action
the events of a drama
dramatic irony
a contrast in expectations between what is intended and what is accomplished
dynamic character
one who grows and changes, causing events to happen
epic poem
lengthy, episodic narrative poem that recounts heroic deeds
episode
the part of a Greek drama that involves the interaction of actors
ethical
relating to the rules for appropriate or moral conduct or action
etymology
the history of a word’s meaning including its origin
exodus
the choral ode sung as the chorus exits
falling action
the action that follows the climax and prepares us for the resolution
fate
destiny
First Episode
the section in Greek drama that follows the Parados
First Stasimon
the choral ode which follows the first episode
foil
secondary character who serves as a contrast to a main character
foreshadow
a subtle suggestion about what is going to happen
general vocabulary
words that are used in everyday communication
genre
a particular type of art; country music, romantic movie, comedic play
groundlings
audience members who paid a penny to stand in the courtyard of public theatres to watch performances
hamartia
a character’s tragic flaw or fatal error
hubris
excessive pride
iambic pentameter
form of poetry with ten syllables per line in an unstressed/stressed pattern
imagery
words that appeal to the senses
indefinite pronoun
pronoun that takes the place of an unspecified person or thing to show the idea of all, any, none, or some
infer
to derive from evidence
intensive pronoun
pronoun used to emphasize its antecedent (noun its taking the place of)
interrogative pronoun
pronoun used to ask questions
irony
contrast between what a character and the audience knows; contrast between an expected outcome and what really happens
juxtaposition
literary device placing one person, idea, or action next to another to highlight the differences or create suspense
media
communication designed to reach a wide audience; television, radio, newspapers, etc...
medium
a means of communication; the way in which media is sent out to people
metaphor
a direct comparison made without like or as
meter
a poem’s rhythm; affected by syllable count, the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, and rhyme scheme
monologue
long speech by one character in the presence of others
motif
a recurring set of images that points to a larger theme
motivation
what drives a character to act in certain ways
myth
traditional story about legendary heroes and supernatural beings
narrative poem
poem that tells a story (can be long or short)
nominative pronoun
personal pronoun that acts as the subject of a clause or sentence
objective pronoun
personal pronoun that is acted upon in a phrase, clause, or sentence
oracle
a prophecy or a place that gives prophecy
oxymoron
apparently contradictory terms
pacing
the rate at which the play’s action moves, based on the timing of events
Parados
the choral ode that follows the Prologue
paradox
phrase or paragraph describing a contradiction
part of speech
the function of a word in a sentence; noun, verb, adjective, adverb
pathos
suffering
peripeteia
reversal of fortune
personification
describing inanimate objects using human characteristics
polygonal
here, referring to a multi-sided theatre, with the audience surrounding the stage from all sides; common during the Elizabethan era
possessive pronoun
personal pronoun used to show ownership
poulter’s measure
type of poetic verse featuring rhyming couplets of alternating 12-syllable and 14-syllable lines
predestination
fate; the idea that each person’s destiny is determined beforehand and unavoidable
prefix
a word part that attaches to the beginning of a root word and modifies its meaning
prologue
narrative device with ancient Greek origins; story opening that gives setting and background details
pronoun-antecedent
a combination of a pronoun and the person or thing it is taking the place of; the person or thing should come before the pronoun, making it the antecedent
prose
ordinary speech with no set syllable count and no rhyme
protagonist
the main character whose decisions push the story forward
pun
humorous play on words
reflexive pronoun
pronoun used to point back to the subject of a clause or sentence for emphasis
relative pronoun
pronoun used to link phrases or clauses
Renaissance
literally translates as “rebirth”; refers to a period of great cultural change and renewal with origins in Italy
revision
reading over and rewriting a piece of work to make the arguments stronger, the grammar more correct, and the writing more interesting
rising action
the series of conflicts and complications that lead to a plot’s climax
root word
the core word before prefixes and suffixes are added
simile
an indirect comparison between two things using “like” or “as”
soliloquy
long speech by one character alone onstage
sonnet
14-line poetic form featuring a defined structure and strict rhyme scheme
specialized vocabulary
words and phrases that are content, subject, or topic specific; not used in everyday communication
static character
one who doesn’t change and acts as expected
stichomythia
a technique with ancient Greek origins, where characters speak in single alternating lines, giving the dialogue a rapid rhythm
subplot
secondary plot that may reveal more about characters or contrast with the main plot
suffix
a word part that attaches to the end of a root word and modifies its meaning
summary
a shortened version of events
suspense
anxiety over what is going to happen
symbol
something that represents or stands for something else
synonym
a word that means the same or something similar to another word
tension
the build-up of conflict and suspense
theme
the central message, or insight, conveyed through a work of art
thesis
a sentence that sets out an essay's objective
tiring house
multi-story structure found in Elizabethan theatres, containing prop and dressing rooms, a musicians’ gallery, a balcony, and more
tragedy
play in which the noble main character suffers and is brought low
tragic flaw
an error or weakness that causes the protagonist’s downfall
trait
a characteristic or quality of a person or thing
Unit 2 Novel
aesthetic
relating to the beauty of something
alliteration
the repetition of a sound at the beginning of two or more neighboring words (as in wild and woolly or a babbling brook)
annotation
a note that is made while reading
antagonist
the person or persons in a story who is in conflict with the protagonist
bookend
a theme, image, symbol, or idea that appears at both the beginning and end of a novel, creating a kind of frame around the story
boycott
to engage in a refusal to have dealings with someone or something; to express disapproval
catalyst
a person or thing that sets events in motion
character arc
the overall journey of a character in a story; the character's beginning, middle, and end
character depth
the degree to which a character is complex and nuanced, as opposed to oversimplified
character development
how a character grows, learns, and changes over the course of a story
character motivation
the hopes and desires that drive a character to act how he or she acts
characterization
how an author shows who a character is through their actions, words, and how they are described in the narration
civil disobedience
refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially in a nonviolent manner; usually working with a group
clarifying
to make clear or easy to understand
clause
a group of related words containing both a subject and a verb
coming-of-age story
a story that tells how a character changes from a child into an adult
compare/contrast essay
an essay in which the settings, themes, genres, characters, tones and other elements of two different texts are examined for their similarities and differences
conflict
the struggle between two opposing forces or characters
conjunctive adverb
an adverb that joins two related main clauses with a semicolon
connotative meaning
the meanings and feelings we associate with a word, as opposed to the dictionary definition of that word
context
all of the external information that must be considered when judging a person, place, or idea; the social or historical forces that shape a person, place, or idea
conventions
the way in which something is usually done in a particular medium or genre; the "rules" of a medium or genre
coordinating conjunction
a conjunction used to join a main clause and a dependent clause
cultural codes
unwritten laws of society that dictate how people behave and interact
cultural context
the customs, beliefs, and social tendencies that influence a text
denotative meaning
the actual, dictionary definition of a word
dialect
a way of speaking that is particular to a particular region or group of people
dramatic tension
suspense created in a story when an important outcome is imminent but delayed by events
economics
the buying and selling of products and services
enjambment
is the continuation of a sentence or clause over a line-break,
episodic plot
a plot that consists of numerous individual episodes which are loosely connected and may not even need to be read in order
equality
being equal in status, rights, and opportunity
extended metaphor
a complex metaphor that plays out over the course of several sentences
figurative language
how an author uses the connotative meaning of words, metaphors, hyperbole, and similes to create a particular feeling or idea
first-person point of view
a story told through the eyes of a main character, using words like "I" and "we"
Great Depression
the economic crisis beginning with the stock market crash in 1929 and continuing through the 1930s
historical context
the time and place in which a text is written, and how the historical events, laws, politics, and realities of that time influence the text
hyperbole
extravagant exaggeration used to emphasize a point (as in "mile-high ice cream cones")
imagery
language that appeals to one or more of the five senses
inaugural
marking the beginning of a new venture
infer
to conclude something based on information given
irony
something humorous because depends upon a contradiction
limited point of view
when the narrator of a story only has access to certain information and knowledge
medium
the way in which a story is told, as in a movie, book, song, photograph, etc
metaphor
is a type of figurative language in which a word or phrase meaning one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a similarity between them (as in the ship plows the sea)
moral courage
the decision to do the right thing in the face of public disapproval, discouragement, shame, or opposition
motif
an idea, image, symbol, or theme that repeatedly occurs in a work of literature
motivation
why a character does what he or she does in a novel
musicality
the sound and rhythm of words and phrases
narrative
a fictional or nonfictional account of events
narrative stakes
what is at risk in the story; what a character has to win or lose by acting on his or her motivation
novel
a narrative of considerable length that focuses on the realistic actions and complexity of its characters
onomatopoeia
the use of words whose sound suggests the sound of something (as in "buzz" or "hiss")
oppressed
unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power
pastoral
a genre of literature that portrays and idealizes country life
personification
is a type of figurative language in which a thing or idea is represented as a person or as having human qualities (as in time speaks to us in hours)
perspective taking
understanding the point of view of another person, particularly a person you disagree with
phrase
small group of related words within a sentence
plot
the significant events in a story; what the characters do
point of view
the perspective from which a story is told
prefix
group of letters having a special meaning appears at the beginning of a word
problem novels
novels that are focused around a dilemma
progressive plot
a plot in which one idea or event builds upon another, building towards a climax
protagonist
the main character of a story, usually considered the "hero"
rebellion
opposing someone in authority
regional novels
novels that capture the character of a certain region
rhyme
the same sound shared between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry
root
part of the word that contains the basic meaning or definition of the word
segregation
the separation of a race, class, or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary means; to separate by discriminatory means
semicolon
a punctuation mark used in limited situations to join closely related main clauses or to help clarify sentences with a lot of internal punctuation
setting
where and when a story takes place
simile
is a type of figurative language in which things different in kind or quality are compared by the use of the word like or as (as in eyes like stars)
social context
the specific aspects of culture associated with a time period
social justice
fair and equal treatment of people regardless of their race, economic status, gender, possessions, or religion
staccato
a musical term describing a very short and sharp sound
stereotype
to characterize a person based upon simplistic ideas about an entire group of people
suffix
group of letters with a special meaning appearing at the end of a word is called a suffix
summary
brief statement of the main points
symbol
a person, place, or thing that represents an idea or theme
symbolism
using objects or images to represent thoughts, feelings, themes, and ideas
thematic development
how a theme is shown, explained, and explored over the course of a novel
theme
the main idea in reading
through line
a story, character, or idea that is woven through an entire novel, tying the different elements together
tone
an author's attitude towards the subject being written about; a tone can be happy, sad, romantic, ironic, defiant, tender, sincere, etc
verbal irony
a form of irony where someone says one thing but means another
Unit 3 Poetry
alliteration
repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words
ambiguous
having an uncertain meaning
analogy
a comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification.
analyze
to look closely at the details of something
annotate
to mark with explanatory notes
antonym
a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g., bad and good).
assonance
the repetition of vowel sounds
bias
a prejudiced opinion about a topic
citation
documentation for a quoted reference used in research
connotative meaning
refers to the associations that are connected to a certain word or the emotional suggestions related to that word
consonance
repeated consonant sounds
couplet
a two-lined stanza
denotative meaning
refers to the literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary definition."
details
the pieces of a literary text, such images,words, or phrases that can be analyzed to create meanings for a literary text
dramatic situation
the situational context of the poem
emotional appeal
convincing your audience by engaging their emotions
end-rhyme
when the ends of lines of poetry rhyme
enjambment
is the continuation of a sentence or clause over a line-break,
ethical appeal
to call upon the reader’s sense of right and wrong in order to sway their opinion
explication
an interpretation of a poem based on a close examination of its elements
explicit analysis
a close study of information that is conveyed directly in a text
explicit meaning
meanings conveyed directly in a text
figurative language
a word or phrase that the author uses for comparison, emphasis, clarity, or interest
foreign
of, from, in, or characteristic of a country or language other than one's own.
form
the physical structure of the poem: the length of the lines, their rhythms, their rhyme scheme, and repetition.
free verse
poem written without a regular rhyme scheme or meter
homonym
one of two or more words that are different in spelling and meaning but pronounced alike
hyperbole
extravagant exaggeration used to emphasize a point (as in "mile-high ice cream cones")
imagery
the descriptive language a poet uses to show a reader something and to create a mental picture for the reader
implied listener
the invented character or person spoken to in a poem
independent clause
a group of words containing a subject and a predicate (verb) that could stand alone as a sentence
infer
to conclude based on often indirect evidence
Inferential analysis
a close study of information conveyed indirectly in a text
inferential meaning
meanings conveyed indirectly in a text
logical appeal
persuading your audience through the use of reasoning
lyric poem
poem written to express the speaker’s feelings. Sonnets and Odes are types of Lyric poems
metaphor
is a type of figurative language in which a word or phrase meaning one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a similarity between them (as in the ship plows the sea)
meter
the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem
metrical line
a poem’s formal pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
mood
the overall emotion evoked in a literary work
motif
a recurring image or thematic idea
narrative poem
poem written to tell a story. Ballads and Epics are types of narrative poems
onomatopoeia
words that represent sounds
persona
invented character who narrates in place of the author
personification
is a type of figurative language in which a thing or idea is represented as a person or as having human qualities (as in time speaks to us in hours)
quatrain
a rhymed or unrhymed stanza of four-lines
repetition
a poet’s use of the same sound, word, or phrase more than one time in a poem
reputable
considered to be trustworthy or acceptable
rhyme
an element of poetry in which words or phrases have the same ending sounds
rhyme scheme
the pattern of rhyme between lines of a poem
rhythm
the alternation between stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem
semicolon
punctuation markused to link independent clauses
simile
is a type of figurative language in which things different in kind or quality are compared by the use of the word like or as (as in eyes like stars)
sound devices
elements used by poets to convey and reinforce the meaning or experience of poetry
speaker
the character "speaking" the poem
stanza
smaller units within a poem usually separated by a line space
symbol
something that stands for something else
synonym
a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language, for example shut is a synonym of close.
theme
the central idea or ideas explored by a literary work.
thesis
the central message or argument of an essay
tone
the general feeling or attitude of a text towards its subject matter
transition
movement from one subject or idea to the next
voice
refers to the style of a speaker’s language