Words used in connection with literature are those used in books and plays, to name two examples. Like all other subjects, literary studies (i.e. English literature, in school) has a special vocabulary which enables people to discuss its various aspects.
You will already know many of the words, because they are the topics of the quizzes in this section. In order to discuss poetry, you might need to use words such as metre, rhyme, stanza, caesura and couplets. To discuss language in poetry and fiction, you will need to know words like metaphor, alliteration, onomatopoeia and personification. Drama requires knowledge of such words as dialogue, aside, soliloquy, stage directions and character.
These lists are not exhaustive, by any means, but are some of the basics you need to know when talking or writing about literature. Try this quiz to test your knowledge of literary vocabulary.
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The protagonist is the main character
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An image is in this sense a picture painted with words
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Poets use enjambement to let an idea flow on from one line to the next, allowing for emphasis on particular words
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Listen for rhythm in music, poetry and words
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Poems might have regular stanzas of four, six or eight lines. Or they might have irregular stanzas
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A first person narrative, "I am .......", involves the reader
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"Living death", for example, is an oxymoron
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Here is an example of third person narrative: "He was ten years old when ......."
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Atmosphere can be chilling, tense, relaxed, happy, sad, etc.
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Painted scenery is known as a stage "set"
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