Lit Terms Project

By: Sam Rahwa

BalladDefined as: a narrative poem that is written in deliberate imitation of the language, form,

and spirit of the traditional ballad

An Example of

Literary Ballad:

Le Belle Dame Sans Merci John Keats 

O what can ail thee, Knight-at-arms,    Alone and palely loitering?

The sedge is withered from the Lake,    And no birds sing!       Line

O what can ail thee, Knight-at-arms,  So haggard and so woebegone?

The Squirrel’s granary is full, And the harvest’s done. 

I see a lily on thy brow, With anguish moist and fever dew; 

And on thy cheek a fading rose Fast withered too. 

“I met a Lady in the Meads, Full beautiful, a faery’s child;

Her hair was long, her foot was light 

An Example of Ballad:

Bonny Barbara Allan Author: Anonymous  

  Oh, in the merry month of May,When all things were a-

blooming,Sweet William came from the

Western statesAnd courted Barbara Allan.

But he took sick, and very sick

And he sent for Barbara Allan,

And all she said when she got there,

“Young man, you are a-dying.”

“Oh yes, I’m sick, and I’m very sick, And I think that

death’s upon me;But one sweet kiss from

Barbara’s lipsWill save me from my dying.”

CaesuraDefined as: A pause with a line of poetry that contributes to the rhythm of the line. It can occur anywhere within a line and need not be

indicated by punctuation.

An Example

of Caesura: Homer

Caesuras were widely used in Greek poetry,

for example in the opening line of the

Iliad:

("Sing, goddess, the rage of Achilles the son of

Peleus.")

Dramatic IronyDefined as: A literary terms that creates a discrepancy between what a character believes or says and

what the reader or audience member knows to be true

An Example

of Dramatic

Irony:

SCENE IV. The same. Hall in the palace.

    A banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSS, LENNOX, Lords, and

Attendants

MACBETH

    You know your own degrees; sit down: at first     And last the hearty welcome.

Lords

    Thanks to your majesty.

MACBETH

    Ourself will mingle with society,     And play the humble host.

    Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time     We will require her welcome.

LADY MACBETH

    Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends;     For my heart speaks they are welcome.

    First Murderer appears at the door

MACBETH

    See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks.

    Both sides are even: here I'll sit i' the midst:     Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure

    The table round.

    Approaching the door     There's blood on thy face.

FoilDefined as: A character in a work whose behavior and values contrast with those of another in order to highlight distinctive temperament of that character (usually the protagonist).

An Example

of Foil:

Hamlet was faced with a decision upon learning that Claudius murdered his father. Throughout the play, we see Hamlet's struggle with this issue. Many opportunities arise for him to kill Claudius, but he is unable to act because of his indecisiveness. Shakespeare uses the minor character Fortinbras as a foil to Hamlet, in order to help understand why Hamlet acts the way he does.

PersonaDefined as: A speaker created by a writer to tell a story or to speak in a poem

An Example

of Persona:

My Last Duchessby

Robert BrowningMuch the same smile? This

grew; I gave commands;Then all smiles stopped

together. There she standsAs if alive. Will't please you

rise? We'll meetThe company below, then. I

repeat,The Count your master's

known munificenceIs ample warrant that no

just pretenseOf mine for dowry will be

disallowed;

SonnetDefined as: A fixed form of lyric poetry that consists of fourteen lines, usually written in iambic pentameter

An Example of Sonnet:

After Turkey Day, the garbage bags sat;My dog was tempted by the tasty sight.He tore them open, gorged big, and grew fat,But first he made a mess and caused some blight.

He ate some hot sauce and blueberry pies,Then laid around and moaned out loud in pain.I worried in my heart of his demise,And tried to scrub the purple carpet stain.

He slowly came around and waddled slow,His belly wide and nearly to the floor.So sad to see my hungry doggy growSo portly wide, he barely fit his door.

He survived, but still he is more than stout.I’ve learned. Next time I’ll take the garbage out!

by Denise Rodgers

TheEND