Literary Terms Vocab Jam

BLANK VERSE

• a figure of speech in which the sentence trails off during a drama

• A literary device defined as un-rhyming verse written in iambic pentameter

• a large space in the middle of a poem

• a literary device used to rhyme every three lines in a poem

Answer explanation

To die- to sleep. To sleep- perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub!

This is perhaps the most famous monologue in all of William Shakespeare's works, and it is an example of blank verse.

You will notice, however, that not all lines have exactly ten syllables, as is usually the case with iambic pentameter.

Allusion

• A reference to a person, place thing, event or other literary work

• an imaginary being

• a slight of hand by a magician

• one character talking to another in a literary work

Answer explanation

In his novel Ragtime, E.L.Doctorow's character "Little Boy" tells another character who is going to Europe to "warn the Duke."

This is an ALLUSION to Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination initiated the chain of events leading to World War I.

Hyperbole

• a group of four lines in a poem

• writing that has a specific rhythm

• a very active child

• A figure of speech and literary device that creates heightened effect through deliberate exaggeration

Answer explanation

"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red" Macbeth (Act II, Sc.II). Macbeth laments in this passage that all the oceans in the world wouldn't be capable of washing the blood from his hands.

IAMBIC PENTAMETER

• a type of metric line used in traditional English poetry and verse drama, describing the rhythm, or meter established by the words in the line

• A phrase denoting an object

• A type of poetry

• A literary device using dialogue as a means to relate emotion

Answer explanation

A short syllable followed by a long syllable.

Example:

deLIGHT the SUN forLORN oneDAY reLEASE

Iambic pentameter is used almost all the time in Macbeth. If you count the syllables in Macbeth's first lines, you can see how it works: 'So foul and fair a day I have not seen' (Macbeth, 1:3).

ASIDE

• a line whispered in a play

• a phrase spoken in dramatic fashion by the lead in a drama

• A short comment or speech that a character delivers while other actors on the stage appear not to hear.

• a humorous comment made to the audience so they will laugh

Answer explanation

Only the audience knows that the character has said something to them.

Example: In "Macbeth," after meeting the witches for the first time, Macbeth says as an aside, “This supernatural soliciting/cannot be ill, cannot be good.” Banquo, witnessing Macbeth's internal struggle, says, “Look how our partner's rapt.”

DOUBLE ENTENDRE

• a Spanish word having two syllables

• a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually indecent. Having a double meaning.

• a type of metric line found in Old English Poetry

• Two words that rhyme in the first two lines of a sonnet

Answer explanation

“And be these juggling fiends no more believed, That palter with us in a double sense;” (Shakespeare 5.8. 19-20).

As Macbeth is about to fight Macduff, he realizes that the prophecies the witches told had a "double" meaning and were used to trick him into thinking he was safe.

METAPHOR

• three consecutive lines in a poem that rhyme

• a literary device in which a character speaks for a long period of time directly facing the audience

• a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest likeness

• sound made by an elephant bull when chasing a female

Answer explanation

'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! '

Macbeth uses a metaphor to explain that his guilty conscience is attacking and stinging him.

"Out, out, brief candle!" "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage / And then is heard no more."

NOVELLA

• an Italian word meaning "the same"

• a short paragraph within a long narrative

• A work of fiction intermediate in length and complexity

• a flash memoir

Answer explanation

literary fiction between a short story and a novel that focuses on a single point of view.

Shorter than a novel but longer than a short story, usually between 10,000 & 40,000 words

Henry James' "The Aspern Papers"

Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"

MALAPROPISM

• a specific rhythm found in poetry containing five stanzas

• a type of swear word used in English poetry

• usually unintentionally humorous misuse of a word or phrase

• a stylistic device used in plays where ten lines are repeated in sequence

Answer explanation

It has a similar sound resulting in a nonsensical utterance that has a comedic effect.

“Our watch, sir, have comprehended two auspicious persons.”

This is from the Shakespeare play “Much Ado About Nothing,” spoken by the character Dogberry. He means to say “apprehended two suspicious persons,” but fumbles the word choice, to comedic effect.

IDIOM

• a combination of contradictory words

• an expression in the usage of a language that is particular to itself either in meaning or grammatically atypical use of words

• an expression used for a dumb person in Old English poetry

• a literary device used to specify the complexity of a short story

Answer explanation

"up in the air" for undecided"

“Screw your courage to the sticking place” is an idiom from Shakespeare's play Macbeth. It is not one of the most common idioms, like “wild goose chase” and “kill with kindness” but it is still used. The idiom simply means be firm and resolute and don't lose your courage. The phrase occurs in Act 1, Scene 7.