Literary Devices and Figures of Speech
Allegory An extended metaphor in which the characters, places, and objects In a narrative
carry figurative meaning. Often an allegory's meaning is religious, moral, or
historical In nature._
Allusion A brief, intentional reference to a historical, mythic, or literary person, place, event,
or movement.
Alliteration The repetition of Initial stressed, consonant sounds in a series of words within a
(sound device) phrase or verse line.
Anaphora The repetition of a word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses,
or lines to create a sonic effect.
Antithesis l£c>ntrastlng or combining two terms, phrases, or clauses with opposite meanings.
Apostrophe An address to a dead) or absent person, or personification as if He or she were
present.
•
Assonance The repetition of vowel sounds without repeating consonants; sometimes called
(sound device) ,_vowel rhyme 1
Climax Words ordered in ascending power
-Consonance
(sound device)
Repeating consonant sounds
-
, Dysp nemimf1
,_ Substituting a mild word with a stronger1one
Enjambment The running-over of a sentence or phrase from one poetic line to the next, without \
terminal punctuation.
Euphemism Substituting offensive words with gentle ones
Hyperbole A striking exaggeration, usually carrying the force ofi strong emotion.
Innuendo 1
Something is implied 1t is not said outright; in other words, it is hintedlat.
Irony Irony implies a distance between what is said and what is meant. Based on the
context, the reader is able to see the implied meaning in spite of the co~tradiction .
...
,.._Li.totes A dettberate understatement 'for effect; the opposite of hyperbole. For example, a
good idea may lfo described as "not half bad," or a difficult task considered "no
small feat."
Malapropism Replacing a word with one that sounds similar
Metaphor ~ parison that is made directly but without pointing out a similarity by using
words such as "like," "as," or "than."
,Metonymy
A related term Is substituted for the word Itself. Often the substitution Is based on a
material, causal, or conceptual relation between things. For example, the British
monarchy Is often referred to as the Crown. In the phrase "lend me your ears,"
"ears" Is substituted for •attention.
Onomat,c poela When a word suggests the sound It represents, e.g. The pitter-patter of little feet;
(sound d.!vke) water lapping; an owl hooting; the spurt of a lighted match.
Oxymoron The combination of contradictory words placed side by side. The contradiction
intensifies the point to be made.
Parado>1 : A seemingly self-contradictory phrase or concept that Illuminates a trutri.
Personification A form of comparison, in that an inanimate object or quality is compared to
something human. Simply stated, something that is not human is made to sound as
II though It were human. Qualities such as Time, Patience, Love, and Virtue are often
personified.
Pun A play on worcfs that are very similar in sound, but sharply different in meaning.
Repetition Well, repetition. Used for emphasis I Hear that? Emphasis I
Rhetorical This question is not asked to obtain an answer, but to emphasise a point, e.g. Is this
Question really what you are doing with your life?
Sarcasm A form of irony used t el> hurt~
'
Simile A balanced comparison between two distinctly different things, indicated by the
word like or as.
Synecdoche A part of something stands for the whole (for example, "I've got wheels" for "I have
a car," or a description of a worker as a "hired hand"}. It is related to metonymy.
From: www.changingminds.org and www.ooetrvfoundation.org
, ca?° .
J. c/'(ofonaermour:n +orme -1fl°il.fiam ~fi'a£e.y.,eare
\ore ·. /
. . _______________::_______7
r::----:-::::-------..:....'.J~---__:__~J_ As $C'ij-\ci .Je
Sonnet 71 William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) I ~v i n-5
N Ionger mourn for me when I am dead ~
w.i> na- : 510.,..s doll"'f'l, me tavholic rn:,a;I
Th ,_,_
an you shall hearthe&i rly ~ llen bell
~;::;;:==-. ' \~\oofl\~
~@p\fu: tJr,lc,'c)c
Give~ arning to the~ orld that I am fled e§_~ •. ~of\ ccuro · llU~((\1'31\_dQQt\-.
From this'villtworld, withGiliest worms to dwell; -\ol"\ot. ; ,. rn,s~ , oe~~ 01c..mr-, ~r>"l~~
Nay, if you ·read this line, rememben not GectSI>"'~) ~ " "' : ,..s N i ~ ~ctuoll'1 ,e.-,-,err,~r i f-
;"1';11',eO')OCC'o(l • The hand t~1at writ it; for I love you so, -dec..\c.r ot\cn a~ \0'11 '-. ·
mu~n 't ,~...,,,,....t-eir
That I in you r1;,..weet thoughts would be forgot "''-'-W-QI \ove f.r ~c>.c.ho4-._-
i "'"' C. v..ru,\'-
lf thinking on me then should make you woe. -
oro~c.\ . \ ~ . "
l . . I M k<_\1,,~~ o;
erv,o+i~\ 0 I f I say, you look upon this verse i =ow'Olc, (._i,..,~tM•.o:
"5)
.,.., ~\o.-\\""'s"'ip). . , .
iii~"' i-\.~ .
When I perha ~ mpounded am ~ it~ ay,~ 1''!'.Jl.0€0V c,1r.cuer 1M•O"\ o~ \r\is cl-=<\~. d :Drnµ:ic;.
1
Donotsomucnasmypoornamerehearse, -wo.Ot~ .-h> be fi,r3ott".-" • n
_, i---,w
1
Bu~ yourloveevenwithmylifedecay;~ : \er -t~i, \ ~ cl,c ""'~"'- 1-\i~ (sok -+>,,r-,-, ~')
~"'""'~\<>-x-i,,,o\ i
. · Lest the~ s~ orld should look into your moan, f•"<> \ \ '$<.e..., ""-ec:.,,,n ~;.f
And mock you with ni~ after I am gone. , p,-o\ccc I:: be 1 0 = U......_ J-.";;'"' e~ \-,\ s
· 1t0,t1r, CJ('\ •
0 I,). ,..."''" a o. ._
1,0
\.o,ie_ ""' be. v-s~ °'"' a / Wt:.<>p>t, :l;.ron, c. ·. ::,~alCc.'f l'"'-" i°""s \~ sol<}.. wo<\0. ,s ~\'<._ .
· :i:c'
~ < b icc\!i") \ ov,::? '
Notes i •,
Allegory An extended metaphor in which the characters, places, and objects In a narrative
carry figurative meaning. Often an allegory's meaning is religious, moral, or
historical In nature._
Allusion A brief, intentional reference to a historical, mythic, or literary person, place, event,
or movement.
Alliteration The repetition of Initial stressed, consonant sounds in a series of words within a
(sound device) phrase or verse line.
Anaphora The repetition of a word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses,
or lines to create a sonic effect.
Antithesis l£c>ntrastlng or combining two terms, phrases, or clauses with opposite meanings.
Apostrophe An address to a dead) or absent person, or personification as if He or she were
present.
•
Assonance The repetition of vowel sounds without repeating consonants; sometimes called
(sound device) ,_vowel rhyme 1
Climax Words ordered in ascending power
-Consonance
(sound device)
Repeating consonant sounds
-
, Dysp nemimf1
,_ Substituting a mild word with a stronger1one
Enjambment The running-over of a sentence or phrase from one poetic line to the next, without \
terminal punctuation.
Euphemism Substituting offensive words with gentle ones
Hyperbole A striking exaggeration, usually carrying the force ofi strong emotion.
Innuendo 1
Something is implied 1t is not said outright; in other words, it is hintedlat.
Irony Irony implies a distance between what is said and what is meant. Based on the
context, the reader is able to see the implied meaning in spite of the co~tradiction .
...
,.._Li.totes A dettberate understatement 'for effect; the opposite of hyperbole. For example, a
good idea may lfo described as "not half bad," or a difficult task considered "no
small feat."
Malapropism Replacing a word with one that sounds similar
Metaphor ~ parison that is made directly but without pointing out a similarity by using
words such as "like," "as," or "than."
,Metonymy
A related term Is substituted for the word Itself. Often the substitution Is based on a
material, causal, or conceptual relation between things. For example, the British
monarchy Is often referred to as the Crown. In the phrase "lend me your ears,"
"ears" Is substituted for •attention.
Onomat,c poela When a word suggests the sound It represents, e.g. The pitter-patter of little feet;
(sound d.!vke) water lapping; an owl hooting; the spurt of a lighted match.
Oxymoron The combination of contradictory words placed side by side. The contradiction
intensifies the point to be made.
Parado>1 : A seemingly self-contradictory phrase or concept that Illuminates a trutri.
Personification A form of comparison, in that an inanimate object or quality is compared to
something human. Simply stated, something that is not human is made to sound as
II though It were human. Qualities such as Time, Patience, Love, and Virtue are often
personified.
Pun A play on worcfs that are very similar in sound, but sharply different in meaning.
Repetition Well, repetition. Used for emphasis I Hear that? Emphasis I
Rhetorical This question is not asked to obtain an answer, but to emphasise a point, e.g. Is this
Question really what you are doing with your life?
Sarcasm A form of irony used t el> hurt~
'
Simile A balanced comparison between two distinctly different things, indicated by the
word like or as.
Synecdoche A part of something stands for the whole (for example, "I've got wheels" for "I have
a car," or a description of a worker as a "hired hand"}. It is related to metonymy.
From: www.changingminds.org and www.ooetrvfoundation.org
, ca?° .
J. c/'(ofonaermour:n +orme -1fl°il.fiam ~fi'a£e.y.,eare
\ore ·. /
. . _______________::_______7
r::----:-::::-------..:....'.J~---__:__~J_ As $C'ij-\ci .Je
Sonnet 71 William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) I ~v i n-5
N Ionger mourn for me when I am dead ~
w.i> na- : 510.,..s doll"'f'l, me tavholic rn:,a;I
Th ,_,_
an you shall hearthe&i rly ~ llen bell
~;::;;:==-. ' \~\oofl\~
~@p\fu: tJr,lc,'c)c
Give~ arning to the~ orld that I am fled e§_~ •. ~of\ ccuro · llU~((\1'31\_dQQt\-.
From this'villtworld, withGiliest worms to dwell; -\ol"\ot. ; ,. rn,s~ , oe~~ 01c..mr-, ~r>"l~~
Nay, if you ·read this line, rememben not GectSI>"'~) ~ " "' : ,..s N i ~ ~ctuoll'1 ,e.-,-,err,~r i f-
;"1';11',eO')OCC'o(l • The hand t~1at writ it; for I love you so, -dec..\c.r ot\cn a~ \0'11 '-. ·
mu~n 't ,~...,,,,....t-eir
That I in you r1;,..weet thoughts would be forgot "''-'-W-QI \ove f.r ~c>.c.ho4-._-
i "'"' C. v..ru,\'-
lf thinking on me then should make you woe. -
oro~c.\ . \ ~ . "
l . . I M k<_\1,,~~ o;
erv,o+i~\ 0 I f I say, you look upon this verse i =ow'Olc, (._i,..,~tM•.o:
"5)
.,.., ~\o.-\\""'s"'ip). . , .
iii~"' i-\.~ .
When I perha ~ mpounded am ~ it~ ay,~ 1''!'.Jl.0€0V c,1r.cuer 1M•O"\ o~ \r\is cl-=<\~. d :Drnµ:ic;.
1
Donotsomucnasmypoornamerehearse, -wo.Ot~ .-h> be fi,r3ott".-" • n
_, i---,w
1
Bu~ yourloveevenwithmylifedecay;~ : \er -t~i, \ ~ cl,c ""'~"'- 1-\i~ (sok -+>,,r-,-, ~')
~"'""'~\<>-x-i,,,o\ i
. · Lest the~ s~ orld should look into your moan, f•"<> \ \ '$<.e..., ""-ec:.,,,n ~;.f
And mock you with ni~ after I am gone. , p,-o\ccc I:: be 1 0 = U......_ J-.";;'"' e~ \-,\ s
· 1t0,t1r, CJ('\ •
0 I,). ,..."''" a o. ._
1,0
\.o,ie_ ""' be. v-s~ °'"' a / Wt:.<>p>t, :l;.ron, c. ·. ::,~alCc.'f l'"'-" i°""s \~ sol<}.. wo<\0. ,s ~\'<._ .
· :i:c'
~ < b icc\!i") \ ov,::? '
Notes i •,
