Explain 'existentialism' in literature.
A movement that focuses on individual existence, freedom, and choice, often in a meaningless or absurd world.
Define 'pastoral literature' and give an example.
Literature that idealizes rural life and landscapes. Example: 'As You Like It' by Shakespeare.
Define 'tragic flaw' in a character.
A trait in a character leading to their downfall. Example: Hamlet's indecisiveness.
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 'antithesis' and give an example.
The direct opposite, a sharp contrast. Example: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'
Explain the concept of 'the Byronic hero'.
A charismatic but flawed character, often rebellious, melancholic, and isolated from society.
Explain 'alliteration' with an example.
The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent words. Example: 'She sells sea shells'.
Define 'pathetic fallacy' with an example.
Attributing human emotions to nature. Example: 'The angry clouds' in a stormy scene.
Define 'epic poetry' and give an example.
A long narrative poem, often written about a hero or heroines. Example: 'The Odyssey' by Homer.
Define 'assonance' and provide an example.
The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Example: 'The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'
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 'blank verse' and provide an example.
Unrhymed iambic pentameter. Example: Shakespeare's plays, like 'Hamlet'.
Define 'anagnorisis' in tragedy.
The moment when the protagonist realizes a key piece of information that changes the entire situation.
Define 'free verse' in poetry.
Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter.
Define 'sonnet' and its types.
A 14-line poem with a variable rhyme scheme. Types: Petrarchan (Italian) and Shakespearean (English).
Define 'lyric poetry' and give an example.
A short poem expressing personal feelings and emotions. Example: 'Ode to a Nightingale' by John Keats.
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.
Define 'ambiguity' in literature.
The quality of being open to more than one interpretation.
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.
Define 'oxymoron' and provide an example.
A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction. Example: 'Jumbo shrimp'.
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 'satirical novel' and provide an example.
A novel that uses satire to critique society, individuals, and institutions. Example: 'Gulliver's Travels' by Jonathan Swift.
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'.
Explain 'juxtaposition' in literature.
The act of placing two things side by side for contrast.
Explain 'narrative poetry' with an example.
Poetry that tells a story. Example: 'The Raven' by Edgar Allan Poe.