Glossary of literary terms

GLOSSARY OF LITERARY TERMS

 

·        Allegory           -           An expressive style that uses fictional characters and events to describe some subject by suggestive resemblances; an extended metaphor

 

·        Ballad              -           A narrative poem of popular origin

 

·        Closet drama   -           Drama more suitable for reading than for performing

 

·        Comedy           -           Light and humorous drama with a happy ending

 

·        couplet            -           a style of poetry defined as a complete thought written in two lines of iambic pentameter

 

·        Criticism          -           A written evaluation of a work of literature

 

·        Drama                         -           The literary genre of works intended for the theater (or) dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage

 

·        Dramatic monologue - It is a piece of performed writing that offers great insight into the feelings of the speaker. Not to be confused with a soliloquy in a play (which the character speaking speaks to themselves

 

·        Elegy               -           expresses sorrow or lamentation, usually for one who has died

 

·        Epic                 -           A long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds

 

·        Epigram           -           a short poem or verse that seeks to ridicule a thought or event, usually with witticism or sarcasm.

 

·        Essay                           -           An analytic or interpretive literary composition

 

·        Fiction                         -           A literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact

 

·        Folk                  -           The traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community

 

·        Lyric                 -           relating to a category of poetry that expresses emotion

 

·        Myth                -           Myths are stories that are passed on from generation to generation and normally involve religion.

 

·        Novel               -           An extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story

 

·        Ode                 -           A lyric poem with complex stanza forms

 

·        Poetry              -           form of Literature in metrical form

 

·        Prose               -           Ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

 

·        Satire               -           Witty language used to convey insults or scorn, esp. saying one thing but implying the opposite

 

·        Short story       -           a prose narrative that is brief in nature.

 

·        Sonnet             -           A verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme

 

·        Theme             -           A theme is a thought or idea the author presents to the reader that may be deep,

difficult to understand, or even moralistic.

 

·        Tragedy           -           An event resulting in great loss and misfortune

 

·        Tragic comedy -          a serious play with either a happy ending or enough jokes throughout the play to lighten the mood.