Literary Terms

Antagonist- a character, or a group of characters, which stands in opposition to the protagonist;

comes from the Greek word antagonistēs, which means “opponent,” “competitor,” or “rival.”
Burlesque- an absurd or comically exaggerated imitation of something, especially in a literary or
dramatic work; a parody.
Carpe diem- used to urge someone to make the most of the present time and give little thought to
the future. Translated from Latin, this phrase also means “seize the day.”
Catastrophe- a final resolution that appears in a narrative plot or a long poem. It unravels the
mystery or intrigue, and brings the story toward a logical end. In a tragedy, it could be the death
of a protagonist or other character; and in a comedy, it could be the union of major characters.
Character- any person, a figure, an inanimate object, or animal. There are different types of
characters, and each serves its unique function in a story or a piece of literature.
Comic relief- a literary device used in plays and novels to introduce light entertainment between
tragic scenes. It’s often used in the shape of a humorous incident, a funny incident, a tricky remark
or a laughing commentary. It is deliberately inserted to make the audiences feel relief. In this sense,
it makes the tragedy seem less intense. Although it is often considered a diversion, it plays a
significant role in advancing the action of the play or the novel.
Connotation- a meaning that is implied by a word apart from the thing which it describes
explicitly. Words carry cultural and emotional associations or meanings, in addition to their literal
meanings or denotations.
Context- the background, environment, setting, framework, or surroundings of events or
occurrences. Simply, context means circumstances forming a background of an event, idea or
statement, in such a way as to enable readers to understand the narrative or a literary piece. It is
necessary in writing to provide information, new concepts, and words to develop thoughts.
Dramatic irony- an important stylistic device that is commonly found in plays, movies, theaters,
and sometimes in poetry. Storytellers use this irony as a useful plot device for creating situations
in which the audience knows more about the situations, the causes of conflicts, and their
resolutions before the leading characters or actors.
Effect- a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.
Figure of speech- a phrase or word having different meanings than its literal meanings. It conveys
meaning by identifying or comparing one thing to another, which has connotation or meaning
familiar to the audience.
Hamartia- a personal error in a protagonist’s personality, which brings about his tragic downfall
in a tragedy. This defect in a hero’s personality is also known as a “tragic flaw.”
Onomatopoeia- a word which imitates the natural sounds of a thing. It creates a sound effect that
mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting.
Pity and fear- Fear anticipates the performance of horrible acts by someone who does not fully
understand what he or she is doing, or is compelled to do those acts against his or her volition. Pity
depends on the audience's empathy with the doer of those acts; the understanding that, under
similar circumstances, the spectator might have acted in the same manner.
Plot- the events that make up a story, or the main part of a story. These events relate to each other
in a pattern or a sequence. The structure of a novel depends on the organization of events in the
plot of the story. Plot is known as the foundation of a novel or story, around which the characters
and settings are built. It is meant to organize information and events in a logical manner.
Plot paralleling- the weaving the writer creates with two or more dramatic plots that are usually
linked by a common character and a similar theme
Point of view- the angle of considering things, which shows us the opinion or feelings of the
individuals involved in a situation. In literature, point of view is the mode of narration that an
author employs to let the readers “hear” and “see” what takes place in a story, poem, or essay.
Protagonist- the central character or leading figure in poetry, narrative, novel or any other story.
A protagonist is sometimes a “hero” to the audience or readers. The word originally came from
the Greek language, and in Greek drama it refers to the person who led the chorus. Later on, the
word started being used as a term for the first actor in order of performance.
Satire- The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity
or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Theme- a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work, which may be stated directly or
indirectly.
Verbal irony- a speaker speaks something contradictory to what he intends to say. It is an
intentional product of the speaker, and is contradictory to his/her emotions and actions. To define
it simply, it occurs when a character uses a statement with underlying meanings that contrast with
its literal meaning.