C250 words
Advanced Literary Vocabulary
Technical terms for advanced literary analysis.
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Words in this collection
- verisimilitudenounˌvɛrɪsɪˈmɪlɪˌtjuːdThe quality of seeming true or real.
- catharsisnounkəˈθɑːsɪsThe process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
- denouementnounˌdeɪ nuˈmɑ̃The final part of a play, film, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.
- soliloquynounsəˈlɪl ə kwian act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when alone or regardless of any hearers, especially in a play.
- apostrophenounəˈpɒs trə fiA punctuation mark (') used to indicate possession or omission of letters.
- enjambmentnounɑ̃ʒɑ̃bmɑ̃The continuation of a sentence or clause from one line of poetry into the next, without a pause.
- caesuranounsɪˈʒʊər əA pause or break in a line of verse, especially for sense or rhythm; a pause or interruption.
- assonancenounˈæs ə nənsThe repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words, especially in poetry, to create internal rhyme or musical effect.
- consonancenounˈkɒnsənənsThe recurrence of identical or similar final consonant sounds in words, especially in poetry.
- alliterationnounəˌlɪt əˈreɪ ʃənThe occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words, as a literary device.
- onomatopoeianounˌɒnəˌmætəpəʊˈɛtɪkA word that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests the sound that it describes.
- synecdochenounsɪnˈɛkdəkɪA figure of speech where a part is made to represent the whole, or vice versa.
- metonymynounmɪˈtɒn ə miA figure of speech where a concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it, rather than by its own name.
- personificationnounpərˌsɒn ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃənA literary or rhetorical device where abstract ideas, inanimate objects, or animals are given human qualities, characteristics, or abilities.
- anthropomorphismnounˌæn θrə pəˈmɔr fɪz əmAttributing human characteristics, behaviors, or emotions to non-human entities, such as animals, objects, or natural phenomena.
- bathosnounˈbeɪ θɒsAn abrupt transition from the elevated or sublime to the ordinary or trivial, creating a ludicrous effect.
- hubrisnounˈhyu brɪsExcessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to downfall.
- nemesisnounˈnɛm ə sɪsA formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent; an agent or source of inescapable, often deserved, punishment or defeat.
- hamartianounˌhɑ mɑrˈti əA fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine.
- anagnorisisnounˌæn ægˈnɔr ə sɪsThe moment in a narrative (especially tragedy) when a character makes a critical discovery, typically recognizing someone's true identity or their own situation, leading to a reversal of fortune.
- peripeteianoun-ˈtɪəa sudden and dramatic reversal of circumstances or fortune in a story, especially in a tragedy.
- prolepsisnounproʊˈlɛp sɪsA rhetorical or narrative device where a future event is referred to in advance, or where an objection is anticipated and answered.
- intertextualitynounˌɪn tərˌtɛks tʃuˈæl ɪ tiThe complex, sometimes deliberate, interrelationship between texts (e.g., novels, films, speeches) where one text references, quotes, parodies, or alludes to another, shaping its meaning.
- pastichenounpæˈstiʃA work of art, literature, music, etc., that intentionally imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists.
- parodyˈpær ə diA humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature, writing, music, or artistic style that exaggerates its features to create a comic effect.
- travestynounˈtrævɪstɪA grotesque or ridiculous imitation; a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something.
- burlesquenounbərˈlɛskAn exaggerated, comedic imitation or parody of something serious.
- ironynounˈaɪ rə niA situation or expression where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning, often for humorous or emphatic effect.
- satirenounˈsæt aɪərThe use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
- allegorynounˈæl əˌgɔr iA story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
- parablenounˈpærəbəlA short, simple story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson, often featuring human characters in everyday situations.
- mythnounmɪθA traditional story, usually concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, typically involving supernatural beings or events.
- archetypenounˈɑːkɪˌtaɪpThe original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a prototype.
- symbolsĭm<strong>′</strong>bəlA thing, mark, or character used to represent something else, especially an abstract idea, concept, or quality.
- motifnounməʊˈtiːfA dominant or recurring idea, theme, pattern, or design element.
- themeθimThe main subject or topic of a piece of writing, discussion, work of art, etc.
- genreˈʒɑːnrəA category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content.
- canonnounˈkænənA general rule, principle, or standard by which something is judged; a collection of sacred books accepted as genuine.
- traditionnountrəˈdɪʃ ənA belief, custom, or way of doing something that has existed for a long time, often passed down from generation to generation.
- influencenounˈɪnflʊənsThe power or capacity to affect the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something.
- homagenounˈhɒmɪdʒSpecial honour or respect shown publicly, especially towards someone or something admired or influential.
- subversionnounsəbˈvɜr ʒənThe act of undermining or destroying an established system, government, or authority from within.
- deconstructionnounˌdi kənˈstrʌk ʃənA method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary texts that questions the fundamental conceptual distinctions, or 'binary oppositions', in Western thought, arguing that language is inherently unstable and meaning is always deferred.
- postmodernismnounpoʊstˈmɒd ərˌnɪz əma late 20th-century movement in philosophy, arts, architecture, and criticism that represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by self-reference, irony, and the rejection of grand narratives or absolute truth.
- modernismnounˈmɒdəˌnɪzəmA philosophical, artistic, and cultural movement beginning in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a deliberate break from classical and traditional forms, an emphasis on innovation, experimentation, abstraction, and a focus on contemporary experience.
- romanticismnounrəʊˈmæntɪˌsɪzəmAn artistic, literary, and intellectual movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries that emphasized emotion, imagination, individualism, and a glorification of nature and the past.
- realismnounˈri əˌlɪz əmthe attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly; also, in art and literature, the accurate, unembellished depiction of nature or contemporary life.
- naturalismnoun-tʃərə-The philosophical or artistic doctrine that everything in the universe can be explained by natural causes and laws, without supernatural or spiritual explanations.
- surrealismnounsəˈri əˌlɪz əmA 20th-century artistic and literary movement that emphasizes the irrational and subconscious mind.
- expressionismɪkˈsprɛʃəˌnɪzəmAn early 20th-century art movement, originating in Germany, that emphasizes the artist's inner feelings, emotions, and subjective interpretation of reality rather than realistic depiction.