Literary Terms1.allegory a story which teaches a lesson because the people and places in it stand for other ideas. an example is john bunyan’s pilgrim’s progress (see page 67).2.alliteration repeating a sound or a letter, especially at the beginning of words, in poetry: e.g. “five miles meandering with a mazy m otion…” (see page 8).3.assonance repeating a vowel sound, often in the middle of words, in poetry: e.g. pale/brave.4.autobiography the written account of a person’s own life (see page 136)5.ballad originally a song for dancers, then in mediaeval times a simple poem with short stanzas telling a story. some romantic poets of the 19th century also wrote ballads (see page 91).6.biography the written account of someone else’s life (see page 61).7.blank verse any verses, especially iambic pentameters (see metre), that do not rhyme. used by marlowe, shakespeare, milton and many otherpoets, this is the most characteristic english form (see page 23).8.caricature a way of drawing or writing which makes the special features of a person or group stronger, so that they are ridiculous.9.chorus in greek drama the chorus watched the action of the play and told the story. the modern meaning can be simply a group of people other than the hero or heroine.10.chronicle a history of events year by year11.classic a. work as a great work b. ancient greek and latin literaturec. writing influence by ancient greek and latinedy something that is funny13.couplet two lines of verse that rhyme14.crisis the most important part of a play15.diary a written record of daily life16.drama a. any kind of work to be performed on the stage .b. something exciting or important17.edition the printing of the book18.elision leaving out a vowel or a syllable, or running 2 vowels together19.ellipsis leaving out words which give the full sense20.epic a long narrative poem in the grand style21.elegy a poem of mourning for someone22.epigram a short, funny, sharp poem or remark23.epilogue an ending, or an extra part after the end of a book or a play24.epitaph sth. written on a tombstone25.essay a short prose work26.fantasy an imaginative work , no basis in the real life27.farce a comedy, with ridiculous plot28.fiction a work invented by the writer, with characters and events are imaginary29.fairy tale(story) a popular story told to children30.foot a unit of sound in verse, in which there is on stressed syllable, one or more unstressed syllables31.free verse verse in which the lines can vary in length without strict metre32.heroic couplet a pair of lines in iambic pentametre that rhyme33.heroic play a grand play in restoration period34.hexametre a line of verse with 6 metrical feet35.iambic抑扬格36.pentametre五音步诗行37.idiom an expression of saying sth. that is typical of a language at a certain time38.idyll a short, descriptive, sentimental poem with a pastoral theme39.image a word picture40.imagery using images such as metaphors or similes to produce an effect in the readers’ imagination41.iron y sth. that has a second meaning intended by the writer, often the opposite42.legend a story, usually one that has come down to us from ancient times43.lyric a. a poem b. lyrics is often used in pop songs44.masque dramatic entertainment with dancing and music45.melodram a a play or a story in which events and feelings are diliberately overdone46.metaphor a way of describing sth. by saying that it is like sth.47.metaphysical poetry the poetry of john donne and others in 17th century48.metre formal rhythm in lines of verse. the verse line is divided into feet which contain different rhythms and stresses49.miracle playsmystery plays drama of the late medieval times, with religious themes50.monologue a speech by one person51.morality plays drama of the 15th century, using arguments between different values, such as youth, death52.narrative the telling of a story53.naturalism trying to be as real as possible54.novel a book-length story55.ode a poem, grand lyric poem in praise of sb. or sth.56.onomatopoeia using the sounds of words in poetry, cuckoo57.parody imitating something in such a way as to make the original thing seem ridiculous58.pastoral style based on an ideal picture of country life59.picaresque style of novels and stories based on the adventures of men who are often wicked and lovable60.plot a set of events, or story line61.preface an introduction62.prose written language in its usual form63.pun play on words64.realism showing life as it really is65.rhyme two or more words with the same sound（韵脚）, e.g. love and dove66.rhythm see metre, metre is the formal rhythm of verse67.romance a love story, with love and adventure68.romantic the writers in england between 1790 and 1830 are known as romantic poets and authors69.satire a work which tries to show how foolish sb. or sth. is70.simile a way of describing sth by saying that it is like sth else71.sonnet a poem o f14 lines with a fixed form72.stanza a group of verse lines with a rhyme pattern73.structure the plan of a work, especially a novel or a play74.style a way of writing75.symbol sth. that has a deeper meaning76.tragedy sth. that is very bad or sad77.unity three unities were important in the classical drama, the unities of time, place and action78.verse a. a general word for all kinds of poetry b. a single line of poetry c. a group of lines in a song79.wit using language in a clever and funny way。