“Romeo & Juliet”

Literary Terms

Drama

a story written to be performed by actors

Soliloquy a long speech expressing the thoughts of a

character alone on stage

Monologue

a speech by one

character in a play, story, or poem

Prologue an opening speech

that introduces the play’s main

characters, plot, and setting

Tragedy a work of literature, especially a play, that

results in a catastrophe for the

main character.

Tragic heroa character of noble birth with

the potential for greatness, but due to a tragic flaw in his character makes an error in judgment that leads to his death

Aside

a short speech delivered by an actor in a play traditionally directed at the audience.

Comic Relief

a technique that is used to interrupt a serious part of a literary work by introducing a humorous character or situation.

Dialogue

a conversation between

characters

Blank Verse

poetry written in unrhymed iambic

pentameter

Dramatic Foil

a character that provides a contrast to

another character –

opposites

Suspensea feeling of uncertainty

about the outcome of events in a story –

a way to keep the reader interested

Irony

when a reader expects one

outcome and the opposite occurs

Sonnet

a fourteen line lyric poem traditionally written in iambic pentameter

Iambic Pentameter

A series of five stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry

Couplet

a pair of rhyming lines in poetry

That completes our notes on literary terms. Now we will

discuss sonnets more in depth.

A fourteen line lyric poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter

Themes: Love Friendship Mortality Immortality of poetry

Sonnets

Sonnets

A sonnet consists of three quatrains and one couplet

Sonnets

A quatrain is a series of four rhymed lines

SonnetsFirst quatrain: the subject is revealed and why it is loved is explained

Second quatrain: describe what is special about the subject – be descriptive and imaginative

Third Quatrain: A problem arises with loving the subject

SonnetsA couplet is a series of

two rhymed lines

Summarizes and leaves the reader with a new, concluding image

SonnetsRhyme Scheme – a pattern of rhyme in a poem

Sonnet Rhyme Scheme: ABAB/CDCD/EFEF/GG

SonnetsIambic Pentameter: 

five beats of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables (“da-DUH”); ten

syllables per line.

Meter means rhythm.

Sonnets

“Who’s wood / these are / I think / I know /his house”

“Is in / the village / though he / will not / mind me / stopping”

Sonnets

Now we will be listening to some examples of sonnets.