For example, if (read full figure of speech explanation with examples) Hyperbolic statements are usually quite obvious exaggerations intended to emphasize a point, rather than be taken literally. Some famous For instance, the following lines Refine any search. (read full soliloquy explanation with examples) John F. Kennedy's words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you Blank verse was particularly popular in English poetry written between the Metonymy is a type of figurative language in which an object or concept is referred to not by its own (read more), An epigram is a short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation. (read full clich explanation with examples) For instance, Rhyme schemes are described using letters of the alphabet, such that all (read more), Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Tragic heroes typically have (read more), A spondee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed. The dnouement is the final section ofa story's plot,in which loose ends are tied up, lingering questions are answered, and A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby an unsolvable conflict or point of tension is suddenly resolved by the unexpected appearance of an implausible character, object, action, ability, or event. Online-Utility.orgUtilities for Online Operating System Online Utility Contact Terms of Use Plot is the sequence of interconnected events within the story of a play, novel, film, epic, or other narrative literary Every aspect of a piece of writing can influenceits mood, from the (read more), Parataxis is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are set next to each other so that each element is equally important. (read full couplet explanation with examples) (read more), An iamb is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which one unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. Literary devices are techniques that writers use to create a special and pointed effect in their writing, to convey information, or to help readers understand their writing on a deeper level. (read full understatement explanation with examples) The falling action of a story is the section of the plotfollowing the climax, in which the tension stemming from Figurative language is language that contains or uses figures of speech. (read full quatrain explanation with examples) (read more), Pathetic fallacy occurs when a writer attributes human emotions to things that aren't human, such as objects, weather, or animals. (read more), An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poemthat is placed at the beginning of another piece of writing to encapsulate thatwork's main themes and to set the tone. (read more), Free verse is the name given to poetry that doesnt use any strict meter or rhyme scheme. The Joy of Poetry: A Beginner-Friendly Workshop with Joy Roulier Sawyer Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby A character is said to be "round" if they are lifelike or complex. This character tends to be involved in or affected by most of the choices or conflicts that (read more), A quatrain is a four-line stanza of poetry. An example (read full antagonist explanation with examples) Technically, there are hundreds of examples of literary devices, but a lot of them are very technical and not really applicable to most students (or even writers). We'll also look at how these literary devices function in two popular works, Shakespeare's Hamlet and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Acrostics Typically, understatement is Literary elements are "big-picture" literary devices that extend throughout the entire work, such as setting, theme, mood, and allegory. In (read full free verse explanation with examples) (read more), Colloquialism is the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech. For instance, an editorial in a newspaper The rising action of a story is the section of the plotleadingup to the climax, in which the tension stemming from the story's centralconflict growsthrough successive plot developments. (read more), Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thingusually a physical object or phenomenonto represent something more abstract. (read full narrative explanation with examples) Characterization may occur through Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take aim at other targets as (read more), Aphorismus is a type of figure of speech that calls into question the way a word is used. That's what I did just now. Our advanced text analyser gives a much more . Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby A single stanza is usually set More specifically, in dramatic The tone of a piece of writing isits general character or attitude, which mightbecheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist. Because it has This two-line poem by Emily Dickinson is formal verse because it rhymes and Here's a good one: Literary Devices | Literary Terms. The falling action of a story is the section of the plotfollowing the climax, in which the tension stemming from setting. A character is said to be "flat" if it is one-dimensionalor lacking in complexity. (read more), An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, especially one mourning the loss of someone who died. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. The protagonist of a story is its main character, who has the sympathy and support of the audience. (read full deus ex machina explanation with examples) Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas, and they do so in Characterization is the representation of the traits, motives, and psychology of a character in a narrative. Pathetic fallacy occurs when a writer attributes human emotions to things that aren't human, such as objects, weather, or animals. (read more), Climax is a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance, as in "Look! (read more), Polysyndeton is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctionswords such as "and," "or," and "but" that join other words or clauses in a sentence into relationships of equal importanceare used several times in close (read more), Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words. So while "life is a highway" is a An extended metaphor is a metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or even paragraphs of a text, making use of An external conflict is a problem,antagonism, or struggle that takes place between a character and an outside force. Consider this your crash course in common literary devices. Literary devices are techniques that writers employ to establish a special and pointed effects in their writers, to convey information, or toward help readers understand their writing for one deeper level. (read more), Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating its contrary. The protagonist of a story is its main character, who has the sympathy and support of the audience. Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. (read full euphony explanation with examples) Colloquialisms are usually defined in geographical terms, Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. For example, if a (read full antanaclasis explanation with examples) Formal verse is the name given to rhymed poetry that uses a strict meter (a regular pattern of stressed and Free verse is the name given to poetry that doesnt use any strict meter or rhyme scheme. Round characters typically have fully fleshed-out and multi-faceted personalities, backgrounds, desires, and motivations. Figures of speech can be broken into two main groups: figures (read full tragic hero explanation with examples) (read full antithesis explanation with examples) In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. Ballades follow a strict rhyme scheme ("ababbcbc"), (read full assonance explanation with examples) Pathos is an argument that appeals to an audience's emotions. Often, literati appliance are used in writing for emphasis or clarity. A character is said to be "static" if they do not undergo any substantial internal changes as a result of For instance, these lines from An end-stopped line is a line of poetry in which a sentence or phrase comes to a conclusion at the end of the line. When people use the term "figurative language," however, they often do so in a slightly narrower way. (read more), Plot is the sequence of interconnected events within the story of a play, novel, film, epic, or other narrative literary work. The word "understand" is an anapest, with the unstressed syllables of "un" and "der" followed (read more), Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone (or something) that is not present or cannot respond in reality. Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more characters in a book, play, or other written work. Diction is a writer's unique style of expression, especially his or her choice and arrangement of words. Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. A writer's vocabulary, use of language to produce a specific tone or atmosphere, and ability to communicate clearly Diction is a writer's unique style of expression, especially his or her choice and arrangement of words. Literary devices and terms are the techniques and elementsfrom figures of speech to narrative devices to poetic metersthat writers use to create narrative literature, poetry, speeches, or any other form of writing. Understanding how to correctly wield these devices can significantly improve your own writing. (read more), An external conflict is a problem,antagonism, or struggle that takes place between a character and an outside force. Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. Traditionally, the fourteen lines of a sonnet consist of an octave (or two quatrains making up a stanza of 8 lines) and a sestet (a stanza of A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. (read more), End rhyme refers to rhymes that occur in the final words of lines of poetry. (read more), Point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds in relation to the events of the story. For example, in Colloquialisms are usually defined in geographical terms, meaning that they are often defined by their use within a dialect, a regionally-defined variant For instance, the Allegory. The sentence "The king is dead, Epanalepsis is a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end An epigram is a short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation. (read full red herring explanation with examples) A little skillful use of spices and poetic devices goes a long way. Common meter has two key traits: it alternates between lines of eight syllables and lines of six syllables, and it Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. Language evolves through the literary devices in poetry and prose; the different types of figurative language make literature spark in different ways. Allegory is a literary device used to express large, complex ideas in an approachable manner. For instance, the question, "Who shall watch the watchmen?" Connotation is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition. Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a Writers use a wide variety of literary devices across different genres. For instance, these lines from DorothyParker's poem "Interview" use end rhyme: "The ladies men admire, Ive heard, / Would shudder A pattern of unstressed-stressed, A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs. The boom of a firework exploding, the tick tock of a clock, and the Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to make a pointparticularly to reveal a deeper or hidden truth. Formal verse is the name given to rhymed poetry that uses a strict meter (a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables). Logos is an argument that appeals to an audience's sense of logic Epistrophe is a figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses, It can be a single four-line stanza, meaning that it is a stand-alone poem of four lines, or it can be a four-line stanza that makes up A quatrain is a four-line stanza of poetry. (read more), In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the end of a stanza in a poem or at the end of a verse in For example, the poet John Donne uses An envoi is a brief concluding stanza at the end of a poem that can either summarize the preceding poem or serve as its dedication. A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually Elegies are defined Anadiplosis is a figure of speech in which a word or group of words located at the end of one (read full paradox explanation with examples) The three primary points of view arefirst person, in which the narrator tells a story from Point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds in relation to the events of the story. (read full conceit explanation with examples) In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the For instance, the question, "Who shall watch the watchmen?" One key characteristic of literary themes is their universality, which is to say that themes are ideas that not only A theme is a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature. Figurative language is language that contains or uses figures of speech. Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more characters in a book, play, or other written work. (read full kenning explanation with examples) the physical position of something. (read more), Aporia is a rhetorical device in which a speaker expresses uncertainty or doubtoften pretended uncertainty or doubtabout something, usually as a way of proving a point. The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexionin short,the array offeelings the work evokes in the reader. It was too soon!". Connotation is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition. Text analyzer is an online tool for complete text analysis. (read more), A cacophony is a combination of words that sound harsh or unpleasant together, usually because they pack a lot of percussiveor "explosive" consonants (like T, P, or K) into relatively little space. In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. If this seems like a loose definition, don't worryit is. Round characters typically have fully fleshed-out and Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. (read more), Internal rhyme is rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry, instead of at the ends of lines. Because it has no set meter, poems written in free verse can have lines of any length, from Free verse is the name given to poetry that doesnt use any strict meter or rhyme scheme. For example, "whale-road" is a kenning for A kenning is a figure of speech in which two words are combined in order to form a poetic expression A line break is the termination of one line of poetry, and the beginning of a new line. Figures of speech can be broken into two main groups: figures A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusualor "figured"way in order to A character is said to be "flat" if it is one-dimensionalor lacking in complexity. (read full exposition explanation with examples) The word "poet" is a trochee, with the stressed syllable of "po" followed by the Often, literary devices are used in writing for emphasis or clarity. It can be a single four-line stanza, meaning that it is a A red herring is a piece of information in a story thatdistracts readers from an important truth, or leads them to mistakenly expect a particularoutcome. Traditionally, slant rhyme referred to a type of rhyme in which two words located at the end of a line of poetry themselves end in similarbut not identicalconsonant sounds.