Definition of Propaganda Propaganda is the spreading of rumors, false or correct information, or an idea, in order to influence the opinion of society. It may advance an idea or bring into disrepute an opposite idea. In literature, writers use…
Category: Literary Devices
Poem
Definition of Poem A poem is a collection of spoken or written words that expresses ideas or emotions in a powerfully vivid and imaginative style. A poem is comprised of a particular rhythmic and metrical pattern. In fact, it is…
Intertextuality
Definition of Intertextuality Intertextuality is a sophisticated literary device making use of a textual reference within some body of text, which reflects again the text used as a reference. Instead of employing referential phrases from different literary works, intertextuality draws…
Parable
Definition of Parable Parable is a figure of speech, which presents a short story, typically with a moral lesson at the end. You often have heard stories from your elders, such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and All is…
Ode
Definition of Ode An ode is a form of poetry such as sonnet or elegy. Ode is a literary technique that is lyrical in nature, but not very lengthy. You have often read odes in which poets praise people, natural…
Eponym
Definition of Eponym Eponym is a name of a legend or real person that writers associate with some other person, object, institution, or thing. Simply, we can define it as a famous person whose name is given to someone else,…
Memoir
Definition of Memoir Memoir is a written factual account of somebody’s life. It comes from the French word mémoire, which means “memory,” or “reminiscence.” This literary technique tells a story about the experiences of someone’s life. A literary memoir is…
Epigram
Definition of Epigram Epigram is a rhetorical device that is a memorable, brief, interesting, and surprising satirical statement. It originated from the Greek word epigramma, which means “inscription,” or “to inscribe.” Often ingenious or witty statements are considered as epigrams,…
Appositive
Definition of Appositive When a noun or word is followed by another noun or phrase that renames or identifies it, this is called appositive. This is a literary device that appears before or after a noun or noun phrase. It…
Adage
Definition of Adage An adage is a short, pointed, and memorable saying that is based on facts, and which is considered a veritable truth by the majority of people. Famous adages become popular due to their usage over a long…
Eulogy
Definition of Eulogy Known as homily, the term eulogy originates from the Greek word eulogia, which means “to praise” somebody or something. A eulogy is a literary device that is a laudatory expression in a speech, or a written tribute…
Essay
Definition of Essay Essay is derived from the French word essayer, which means “to attempt,” or “to try.” An essay is a short form of literary composition based on a single subject matter, and often gives the personal opinion of…
Epitaph
Definition of Epitaph When somebody from our family, or a friend dies, we want to commemorate his or her memory. For this, we use an epitaph, which is a brief writing or saying inscribed on a grave. Generally, it is…
Antecedent
Definition of Antecedent Antecedent is an earlier clause, phrase, or word to which a pronoun, noun, or another word refers. Broadly speaking, antecedent is a literary device in which a word or pronoun in a line or sentence refers to…
Solecism
Definition of Reductio ad Absurdum Reductio ad absurdum is a Latin term that means “to reduce something to absurdity.” It is a figure of speech that is defined as a manner of arguing something for one’s own position by showing…
Reductio ad Absurdum
Definition of Reductio ad Absurdum Reductio ad absurdum is a Latin term that means “to reduce something to absurdity.” It is a figure of speech that is defined as a manner of arguing something for one’s own position by showing…
Parrhesia
Definition of Parrhesia Parrhesia is borrowed from a Greek word that means “to speak boldly, freely, or with bombastic bluntness.” It is saying something boldly and freely without leaving any doubt behind. It involves not only the freedom of speech,…
Paraprosdokian
Definition of Paraprosdokian Paraprosdokian is a derivative of a Greek word that means “beyond expectation.” It is a wordplay type of literary device in which the final part of a phrase or sentence is unexpected. Its unexpected or surprised shift…
Paralipsis
Definition of Paralipsis Paralipsis is from the Greek word paraleipein, which means “to omit,” or “to leave something on one side.” It is defined as a rhetorical device in which an idea is deliberately suggested through a brief treatment of…
Kinesthesia
Definition of Kinesthesia Kinesthesia is a type of imagery that is used as a poetic device. It is a poetic device that gives a feeling of natural, or physical bodily movement or action (like a heartbeat, a pulse, and breathing).…