Glossary of Literary Terms

This glossary contains many of the commonly used terms in literary analysis and appreciation that may come your way in the Language A programme. Don't learn them off by heart, but try to become familiar with as many as you can so as to have greater control and understanding in your reading and writing. The most important thing is to see how the terms function, and to become alert to these effects in your reading.

Alienation:

This term, from Marxism, suggests that under Capitalism we live estranged from our true human natures.

Allegory:

A story of some complexity that corresponds to another situation on a deeper level. Animal Farm is about a community of animals, but reflects the Russian Revolution and satirises Communism. The dual perspective, the link between animal story and political story gives it its interest and wit.

Alliteration:

Repetition of an identical consonant sound at the beginning of stressed words, usually close together ("So dawn goes down to day' : Frost) Look at the effect alliteration creates. It may for example draw together unlike ideas for contrast, or suggest meaning through the sound effect (as in the Frost line, suggesting depressing inevitability), or link similar things for emphasis. Used in both poetry and prose.

Allusion:

A reference to an event, person, place, work of literature etc. that gives additional layers of meaning to a text or enlarges its frame of reference. Look at the biblical allusion to the "whited sepulchre" in the Conrad essay sample, Chapter Two of this Guide.

Ambiguity:

(Distinguish this from ambivalence). Where language and tone are (usually deliberately), unclear and may have two or more interpretations or meanings. Look at the discussion of Banquo's speech in Chapter Four of this Guide.

Ambivalence:

Where the writer's attitude to, for example, a character or event is not clear-cut, but may seem to hold at least two responses (Marlow's attitude to Kurtz in Conrad's Heart of Darkness - both understanding and critical?).

Antithesis:

Contrasting ideas by balancing words of opposite meaning and idea ("And wretches hang, that jurymen may dine": Alexander Pope).

Apostrophe:

An exclamatory passage where the speaker or writer breaks off in the flow of a narrative or poem to address a dead or absent person, a particular audience, or object (often personified). Gaev in Chekhov's Cherry Orchard addresses a bookcase at length, symbol of his past and the family home.

Assonance:

Repetition of similar vowel sounds close to one another ("Down some profound dull tunnel" Wilfred Owen). Can create atmosphere in descriptive poetry. Sound this aloud to hear the effect.