BeowulfLiterary Terms

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Literary Terms

IambIamb– a metrical foot or unit of measure consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

Iambic tetrameter—tetrameter—fourfour iamb in a line that produce a poetic pattern/beat.

Alliteration:Alliteration: is the repetition is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in of initial consonant sounds in words such as “rough and words such as “rough and ready.”ready.”

Literary Terms

Kennings- Kennings- descriptive compound word used to name a person, place or thing indirectly.

• ““whale-road”whale-road”

Epic--Epic-- long narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a a larger than long narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a a larger than life hero who embodies the values of a particular society. life hero who embodies the values of a particular society. 4 Components that 4 Components that make up an epic poem are as follows:make up an epic poem are as follows:

Vast Setting--Vast Setting--

Imposing Hero--Imposing Hero--

Super Human Action--Super Human Action--

Super Natural Forces--Super Natural Forces--

Literary Terms

• MotifMotif: reoccurring theme, idea• ImageryImagery: language that appeals to our 5

senses.• Symbol:Symbol: a noun that represents something

greater than itself• Characterization:Characterization: how the writer reveals the

personality of a character—traits etc..• Central conflictCentral conflict: struggle or clash between

opposing forces. – Internal– External

Literary Terms

• Theme—Theme—central idea the writer wishes to convey about a piece of literature.

• Elegy and Elegiac moodElegy and Elegiac mood—a poem that mourns the death of a someone or laments something lost. The moodmood of the poem is solemn or melancholy.

• Allusion—Allusion—when the author makes reference to a person, place, event, or something known from literature, history, religion, mythology, sports, science, etc…

• Caesura—Caesura—rhythmical pause or break in a line of poetry. (divides the 4 beat lines in half)