A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z   <<  >>

Terms for subject Literature (1061 entries)

analogues	Narratives which have equivalents in other cultures, languages and/or literatures.
analyse	Often used in exam or essay questions, the term means to closely examine various parts of something or a whole text.
analysis	The process of examining something meticulously. This often involves the separation of elements (structure, form, literary devices) into different parts, to facilitate understanding of a whole text.
anapaest	A metrical foot composed of two short syllables followed by one long one, as in the word seventeen.
anapaestic	see meter, anapaest.
anaphora	A rhetorical device where a word, or group of words, is repeated in consecutive clauses.
ancillary characters	From the Latin ancilla, which means "helper" or "maid", the phrase refers to less significant characters who are not the primary protagonist or antagonist. They nevertheless interact with the more important characters in such a way as to offer insight into the narrative action.
androcentric	Literally meaning 'man-centred'. Androcentric literature is primarily concerned with man. This is an alternative term for phallocentric.
anecdote	A short narrative relating to a single incident told for amusement, gossip, or moral guidance.
Angela Carter	Carter was an English novelist and journalist, born on 7 May 1940. She is best known for her writings on feminism and science fiction. Notable works by Carter include the set of short stories The Bloody Chamber and The Passion of New Eve. She died on 16 February 1992
Anglo-Saxon period	see Old English Period.
Angry young men	A term referring to a group of English writers, musicians and artists in the 1950s. Included in this group are Kingsley Amis, Braine, Sillitoe and, notably, Osborne. Osbourne's play Look Back in Anger portrays the anti-hero Jimmy Porter, who is the prototypical Angry Young Man. This group resented the upper-class and the establishment. Their works articulate contempt for the pretense of society in post-war Britain where, despite promises, working or middle-class educated people were unable to break into powerful areas. Their writing was often powerful, bitter and angry, often humorous, and much of it received critical acclaim.
anisometric	A stanza containing lines of unequal length
Another Ah	AA
antagonist	The character in a drama or novel, who is the main opponent of the protagonist.
antanaclasis	A figurative device where a word is repeated in two or more of its senses, e.g. when in Shakespeare's play Othello says: Put out the light, and then put out the light (Act V, Scene 2) The first " light" refers to the candle, the second is a metaphor for Desdemona's life.
anthology	A selection of work by different writers. Sometimes the volume will be of a particular genre, e.g. post-colonial literature, or dedicated to a particular period, e.g. metaphysical poetry.
anthropomorphism	When non-humans are given human abilities to think and speak.
anti-climax	Any incident of let-down when an anticipated climax is not realized.
anti-hero	A protagonist who exhibits unheroic characteristics.