Explain 'alliteration' with an example.

The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent words. Example: 'She sells sea shells'.

Explain 'existentialism' in literature.

A movement that focuses on individual existence, freedom, and choice, often in a meaningless or absurd world.

Define 'blank verse' and provide an example.

Unrhymed iambic pentameter. Example: Shakespeare's plays, like 'Hamlet'.

Define 'allegory' and give an example.

A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Example: 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell.

Explain 'narrative poetry' with an example.

Poetry that tells a story. Example: 'The Raven' by Edgar Allan Poe.

Define 'sonnet' and its types.

A 14-line poem with a variable rhyme scheme. Types: Petrarchan (Italian) and Shakespearean (English).

Define 'stream of consciousness' and name an author known for this style.

A narrative mode depicting the many thoughts and feelings passing through the mind. Example: James Joyce.

Define 'picaresque novel' and give an example.

A genre of prose fiction that depicts the adventures of a roguish hero. Example: 'Don Quixote' by Miguel de Cervantes.

Define 'anagnorisis' in tragedy.

The moment when the protagonist realizes a key piece of information that changes the entire situation.

Define 'antithesis' and give an example.

The direct opposite, a sharp contrast. Example: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'

Define 'pastoral literature' and give an example.

Literature that idealizes rural life and landscapes. Example: 'As You Like It' by Shakespeare.

Explain 'metonymy' with an example.

A figure of speech where something is called by a new name that is related in meaning. Example: 'The White House announced' instead of 'The President announced'.

Define 'epic poetry' and give an example.

A long narrative poem, often written about a hero or heroines. Example: 'The Odyssey' by Homer.

Explain 'juxtaposition' in literature.

The act of placing two things side by side for contrast.

Define 'tragic flaw' in a character.

A trait in a character leading to their downfall. Example: Hamlet's indecisiveness.

Define 'pathetic fallacy' with an example.

Attributing human emotions to nature. Example: 'The angry clouds' in a stormy scene.

Define 'assonance' and provide an example.

The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Example: 'The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'

Define 'oxymoron' and provide an example.

A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction. Example: 'Jumbo shrimp'.

Define 'free verse' in poetry.

Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter.

Define 'satirical novel' and provide an example.

A novel that uses satire to critique society, individuals, and institutions. Example: 'Gulliver's Travels' by Jonathan Swift.

Define 'ambiguity' in literature.

The quality of being open to more than one interpretation.

Define 'synecdoche' and give an example.

A figure of speech where a part is made to represent the whole. Example: 'All hands on deck' means all crew members.

Explain the concept of 'the Byronic hero'.

A charismatic but flawed character, often rebellious, melancholic, and isolated from society.

Explain 'dramatic irony' with an example.

When the audience knows something that the characters do not. Example: In 'Oedipus Rex', the audience knows Oedipus's true parentage.

Define 'lyric poetry' and give an example.

A short poem expressing personal feelings and emotions. Example: 'Ode to a Nightingale' by John Keats.