Allegory
a figure of speech in which abstract ideas and principles are described in terms of characters, figures and events.
Alliteration
The repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of syllables following in close succession.
Assonance
A species of imperfect or incomplete rhyme, consisting of the use as a substitute for rhyme of the same vowel sounds, but different consonants. Thus 'man', 'can', are rhymes; 'man', 'cat', are assonances.
Antithesis
The opposition, by way of pointed contrast, of different words or expressions, as 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's.'
Enjambement
When in poetry the end of the grammatical clause fails to coincide with the end of the verse or line, and runs on to the next line.
Hyperbole
is a figure of speech, which involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.
Imagery
to use figurative to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses.
Metaphor
a figure of speech which makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics.
Metonymy
The rhetorical figure of the allusion to a feature or accessory of the object meant instead of to the object itself, as the use of 'the crown' for the royal prerogative, 'the sword' for armed violence.
Mood
(or atmosphere) is a type of feeling that readers get from a narrative based on details such as settings, background, objects and foreshadowing, etc. In literary works, mood refers to emotions or feelings an author conveys to his readers through descripti
Oxymoron
The rhetorical term for the combination of words, generally epithet and subject, of opposed and contradictory meanings effecting a kind of verbal paradox.
Personification
a figure of speech in which a thing, an idea or an animal is given human attributes. The non-human objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings.
Simile
is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things. Unlike a metaphor, a simile draws resemblance with the help of the words "like" or "as". Therefore, it is a direct comparison.
Symbolism
the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.
Synecdoche
a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part.
Theme
a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work that may be stated directly or indirectly.
Tone
an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.