Literary Devices Flashcards

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Antithesis

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Two contrasting ideas juxtaposed for effect.

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Asyndeton

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A condensed form of expression without conjunctions in a series. Example: "How am I supposed to live, laugh, love under these conditions?"

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Allusion

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A brief reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event. Example: "I’m the Juliet to your Romeo."

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Anaphora

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Repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.

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Apostrophe

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Direct address to a person or personified abstraction not present. Example: "Oh Nature, thou art my goddess."

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Aside

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A short passage spoken to the audience in an undertone, inaudible to other characters on stage.

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Assonance

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Repetition of vowel sounds in a series of words. Example: "...the lonely road, the only one...ever known."

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Ballad

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A poem with a dramatic or exciting episode in simple narrative form, often involving the supernatural and themes of courage and love.

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Bildungsroman

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A genre depicting the youthful development of a central character. Example: "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

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Caesura

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A pause in a line of verse dictated by the natural rhythm of the language. Example: "to be, or not to be—that is the question..."