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Oral Tradition: stories and poems that were passed down form generation to generation in ancient societies and recited for audiences that included all members of the tribe. Dramatic Situation: details that are crucial to understanding a poem- it is the "Who is speaking to whom under what circumstances?" Confessional Poetry: an extremely candid form of poetry that tends to be autobiographical in nature. Auditor-the person or persons being spoken to in a poem. Apostrophe- used when a nonhuman, inanimate, or abstract thing is directly addressed. Epigraph-a brief explanatory statement or quotation Dedication- that which explains the setting Lyric poetry-originally comprised of brief poems that were meant to be sung or chanted with a lyre. Genres-separate categories delineated by distinct style, form, and content. Epigram-a short satirical lyric usually aimed at a specific person. Elegy- a lyric on the occasion of a death. Ode- a long lyric in elevated language on a serious theme. Epic-genre that includes all type of narrative poetry. A long narrative poem about the exploits of a hero. Narrative poetry-poetry whose main function is to tell a story. Folk epics- epics intended for public recitation and existed in oral form for many years. Literary epics- products of known authors who wrote their poems for publication. Ballads-shorter narratives with song like qualities. Folk Ballads- come from oral tradition and are authored anonymously. Art Ballads/Literary Ballads-conscious imitations of the ballad style by later poets.. Metrical romances-verse tales on the exploits of knights. Mock Heroic Narratives- spoof the conventions of epic poetry for comic or satrical effects. Realistic Narratives- medium in length, tend to be short stories in verse. Dithyrambic poetry- composed to be chanted at a religious reitual by a chorus. Dramatic poetry-was once called dithyrambic. The persona in a dramatic poem is an invented character not identified with the poet. Dramatic monologue-a speech or soliloquy or scene from a play. Idiom-personal use of words that makes a persons poetry idiosyncratic. Diction-the indiivdual words in a poem that can be classified in several ways Level of Diction-can range from slang to formal usage. Poetic Diction- used to indicate a level of speech somehow refined above ordinary usage, and somehow superior to it. Archaisms-words that are no longer in common use. Syncope-the dropping of a letter for the sake of maintaining a poem's meter. Denotation-literal meaning of a word. Connotation-implied meaning of a word. Coinage/Neologism-a word invented by the poet. Paraphrase- putting the poem into your own words. Syntax-order of words in the sentence. Inversion-when words fall out of the expected order Ellipsis-words that are conciously omitted by the poet. Etymology-study of the sources of words. Imagery-sensory details denoting specific details of experience. Pun-a device used to imply the additional meaning of a similiar sounding word. Metaphor-direct comparison between two unlike things. Similie-the comparison of two things using the words "like as or than" as a comparative device. Conceit- an extended or far fetched metaphor. Hyperbole-overstaement Allusion-metaphor making a direct comparison toa historical or literary event or character. Metonymy-use of related object to stand for the thing actually being talked about. Synecdoche-use of a part for the whole or visa versa. Personification-giving human characteristics to nonhuman objects/things. Paradox- an apparent contradiction or illogical statement. Oxymoron-a short paradox. Synesthesia-a conscious mixing of two different types of sensory experience. Allegory- a narrative that exists simultaneously on two levels-literally and abstractly. Symbol-Any conrete thing or action in a poem that implies a meaning beyond its literal sense. Irony-the element of tone by which a poet may imply an attitue that is in fact contrary to what was stated. Euphony-a series of pleasant sounds. Cacophany- a series of unpleasant sounds. Masculine rhyme- occurs between single stressed syllables Feminine rhyme/Double rhyme-matches two syllables, one stressed and one unstressed. Free Verse- verese with no consistant metrical pattern.
Sources: Gwyn. R.S. Poetry: A Pocket Anthology.
4th ed. Ed. R.S. Gwynn. NY: Penguin Academics, 2005.
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