Literary terms are words used in, and having specific meaning in discussion, review, criticism and classification of literary works such as stories, poetry, drama, and essays. There is no authorized list of such words. Words that are used frequently for the purposes described above come to be recognized as literary terms. Literary terms are words such as personification, simile, hyperbole, metaphor, and so on.
Aristotle’s Concept of Tragedy Aristotle has thrown sufficient light on tragedy in his epoch- making book poetics. He has reposed more faith in tragedy which requires special treatment.. He was a great admirer of Greek tragedians Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschelus. They championed the art of drama elevating tragedy to the high pedestal which helped Aristotle … Read more
STANZA FORMS Stanza A stanza is a division of a poem based on thought or form. Stanzas based on form are marked by their rhyme scheme. Stanzas are known by the number of lines they contain. The basic stanza forms are: a. couplet: two-line stanza b. triplet or tercet: three-line stanza c. quatrain: four-line stanza … Read more
Dystopian Novels Dystopian fiction is a form of science fiction that arose as a reaction to dystopian fiction. A dystopia is a dehumanising and frightening imaginary community or society. A dystopia is an antonym of a utopia, which is described as a perfect society. The word dystopia is derived from the word utopia. The English … Read more
Characteristics of Metaphysical Poets Metaphysical poets belonged to the 17th century. The works of the metaphysical poets are marked by philosophical exploration, colloquial diction, ingenious conceits, irony and metrically flexible lines. They wrote poems on love, religion and mortality. The metaphysical poets described these topics through unusual comparisons, frequently employing unexpected similies and metaphors in … Read more
What is Epic? The word “epic” comes from the Ancient Greek adjective epikos, which means “a poetic storey.” The English term “epic” is derived from the Latin word “epicus,” which is taken from the Greek adjective “eipikos.” Literary, an Epic is a long narrative poem on a serious subject written in a grand style. The … Read more
Meaning The word neoclassicism has been derived from Greek “neos” means “new” and Latin “classicus” means “relating to ancient Greek or Latin principles of the forms of art.” The neoclassicism was a movement against the too much use of individualism and imagination in literature as well as the violation of classical rules and regulations in … Read more
A short story is prose, which is distinct from longer narratives such as epic, novels, and romance. It is essentially concerned with a single effect conveyed in a single episode or scene and involves a limited number of characters. A short story can have even one character and in more avant-garde examples, there need not be even a plot or a character.
Five Elements of Fiction: A story has fi ve basic but important elements. These fi ve components are: Plot, Setting, Character, Point of View, Theme. These essential elements keep the story running smoothly and allow the action to develop in a logical way that the reader can follow. I. Plot The action that takes place … Read more
What is Short Story? INTRODUCTION Everyone loves a good story. You must have listened to your grandmother’s stories on cold wintry nights and felt happy or sad on hearing it. A story sometimes takes you to a world other than the one that you are living in and you are left fascinated by it. A … Read more
Metaphysical poetry, a term coined by Samuel Johnson, has its roots in 17th-century England. This type of poetry is witty, ingenious and highly philosophical. Its topics included love, life and existence. Metaphysical poetry used literary elements of similes, metaphors, imagery, paradoxes, conceit, and far-fetched views of reality.
Conceit and Metaphysical Conceit The word ‘conceit’ means ‘a concept or an image’. A conceit in literature is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or an entire poem. A conceit invites the reader into a more sophisticated understanding of a comparison object by juxtaposing, usurping, and manipulating images and … Read more
Figures of Speech Or Literary Terms 1. Simile: It is a comparison of one thing with another. Or it is an explicit statement of likeness between two different things or actions. A simile is always introduced by such words as ‘Like’, ‘as’, ‘so’, etc Examples: (i) Her face was as red as a rose. (ii) … Read more
