Group 8

Rifdah Aatikah Manurung 200705031

Silvia Efani Saragih 200705089
Windy Octalin Simanjuntak 200705093
Tiarma Sihotang 200705137
Cut Putri Alivia 200705145

LITERARY DEVICES AND FIGURES OF SPEECH

1. Adage, a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth: “Eat to live, and not live
to eat” (Poor Richard’s Almanack by Benjamin Franklin).
2. Allegory, a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning:
“The dangers that can occur without a smooth transition to a people’s government”
(Animal Farm by George Orwell).
3. Alliteration, the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or
closely connected words: “The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, For he heard the
loud bassoon” (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Colerdige).
4. Allusion, an esxpression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it
explicity; an indirect or passing reference: “So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down
to day” (Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost).
5. Ambiguity, the quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness: “O
Rose thou art sick/ The invisible worm/ That flies in the night/ in the howling storm/ Has
found out thy bed/ Of crimson joy/ And his dark secret love/ Does thy life destroy” (The
Sick Rose by William Blake).
6. Anachronism, an act attributing a custom, event, object to a period to which it does not
belong: “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard; Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft
pipes play on” (Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats).
7. Anapest, a metrical foot consisting of two short or unstressed syllables followed by one
long or stressed syllable: “Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house”
(A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore 1823)
8. Anaphora, is the repetition of words or phrases in a group of sentences, clauses, or
poetic lines: “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go
back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums ghettos of our northern
cities, knowing that somehow this situation and will be changed” (I Have a Dream by Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr)
9. Anastrophe, also known as inversion, is a literary technique in which a writer changes
the normal order of words: “Bells are booming down the bohreens, White the mist along
the grass, Now the Julias, Maeves and Maureens Move between the fields to Mass.
Twisted trees of small green apple Guard the decent whitewashed chapel,” (Ireland with
Emily).
10. Antanaclasis, it occurs within one sentence and involves the repetition of a word or
phrase: “And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” (Stopping by
Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost)
11. Antithesis, occurs when two contasting ideas are put together to achieve a desired
outcome: “Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n” (Paradise Lost).
12. Anthropomorphism, is used to make inanimate objects, forces and animals appear to
actually be human beings: “[Harry]: Well.. thank you. We’ll just go. [Aragog]: Go? I
think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command, but I cannot deny
them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye, friend of Hagrid”
(Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling)
13. Anticlimax, the anticlimax will only occur in a piece of literature if, for some reason, the
climax is disappointing or is not, in some way, what the reader expected it to be: “Here
Britain’s statesmen oft the fall foredoom Of foreign tyrants and of nymphs at home;” (The
Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope).
14. Antimetabole, can be used by writers to strengthen their argument through emphasis or
show the reader how two ideas are related to one another: “All crime is vulgar, just as all
vulgarity is crime” (The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde).
15. Aphorism, are short and terse statements in regard to various parts of life: “Praise is the
reflection of the virtue. But it is the reflection glass or body which giveth the reflection”
(The Works of Sir Francis Bacon).
16. Apostrophe, in poetry, is a figure of speech in which a character or speaker addresses
someone who is absent: “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger! This is thy
sheats;there rust, and let me die” (Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare).
17. Assonance, occurs when two or more words that are close to one another use the same
vowel sound: “Then he asked me to get up and walk Round the bed so he could watch by
broad Belly wobble, hips judder like a juggernaut” (Eat Me by Patience Agbabi).
18. Asyndeton, is a figure of speech that occurs when words like “and” and “or”
(coordinating conjunctions) are removed from sentences: “Definitions belong to the
definers, not the defined” (Beloved by Toni Morrison).
19. Ballad, is a kind of verse, sometimes narrative in nature, often set to music and
developed from 14th and 15th century minstrelsy: (I want to Know What Love Is and More
Than a Feeling by Boston).
20. Bathos, is defined as a sudden, jolting change in the tone of a work. This could occue in a
poem, play, story, or a film: [“ Prostitution is bad! Everybody knows that, even him” he
turned with confidence to experienced old man. “Am I right?”] [You’re wrong,”
answered the old man. “Prostitution gives her an opportunity to meet people. It provides
fresh air and wholesome exercise, and it keeps her out of trouble.”] (2 Catch-22 by
Joseph Heller).
21. Burlesque, (pronounced ber-lesk) is a style in literature and drama that mocks or imitates
a subject by representing it in an ironic or ludicrous way; resulting in comedy. Ex:
Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock
22. Circumlocution, (sir-kum-low-KEW-shun) means “talking around” or “talking in
circles.” It's when you want to discuss something, but don't want to make any direct
reference to it, so you create a way to get around the subject. Ex: the Harry Potter series,
Lord Voldemort
23. Cliché, Is an expression that was once innovative but has lost its novelty due to overuse.
Ex: Think about the expressions "easy as pie," or "don't play with fire,"
24. Climax, The highest or most intense point in the development or resolution of something.
Ex: in "The Lottery," the climax occurs when Tessie discovery that she had "won" the
lottery and was to be stoned to death.
25. Colloquialism, A word or phrase that is not formal or literary and is used in ordinary or
familiar conversation. What’s the use you learning to do right, when it’s troublesome to
do right and it ain’t no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same? Ex: Mark
Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
26. Comparison, A device in which a writer compares or contrasts two people, places,
things, or ideas. Comparisons may include: analogy, juxtaposition, metaphor, simile, pun,
and allegory.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Ex: Shakespeare, Sonnet 18
27. Conceit, Uses an extended metaphor that compares two very dissimilar things. My
mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red. Ex:
Shakespeare, Sonnet 130
28. Conflict, A literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces,
usually a protagonist and an antagonist. To be, or not to be – that is the question. Ex:
Shakespeare, Hamlet
29. Contrast, Any difference between two or more tangible or abstract entities, such as
characters, settings, opinions, tones, and so on. Contrast generally involves a
juxtaposition of two unlike things in order to showcase their differences. To compare is to
find things that are similar, while to contrast is to find differences. I have a dream that
one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice,
sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and
justice. Ex: Martin Luther King, Jr., I have a dream speech
30. Dactyl, A long syllable followed by two short syllables, Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. ‘Forward, the
Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!’ he said. Into the valley of Death Rode the six
hundred. Ex: Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade
31. Discourse, Foucalt defines discourse as, “Systems of thoughts composed of ideas,
attitudes, and courses of action, beliefs, and practices that systematically construct the
subjects and the worlds of which they speak.” I marvel how Nature could ever find space
For so many strange contrasts in one human face: There’s thought and no thought, and
there’s paleness and bloom And bustle and sluggishness, pleasure and gloom. Ex:
William Wordsworth, A Character
32. Doppelganger, A German word meaning “look-alike,” or “double walker,” originally
referred to a ghost, or shadow of a person; but in modern times it simply refers to a
person that is a look-alike of another person.… man is not truly one, but truly two. Ex:
Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
33. Ellipsis, A literary device used in narratives to omit some parts of a sentence or event,
which gives the reader a chance to fill the gaps while acting or reading it. “Beauty and
the Beast…Loneliness…Old Grocery House…Brook’n Bridge….” Ex: F. Scott
Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
34. Epigraph, A phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document.
“Lawyers, I suppose, were children once.” Ex: Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
35. Epistrophe, Repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem.
There is only an American problem. Ex: Lyndon B. Johnson
36. Epithet, A descriptive term or qualifier that identifies an attribute. It is a useful literary or
rhetorical device when describing a character for the reader. While a modern use of
epithets can be derogatory, classic literary epithets are an important element of literature.
Thou mad mustachio purple-hued maltworms! Ex: Shakespeare, Henry IV
37. Euphemism, A mild, indirect, or vague term that often substitutes for a harsh, blunt, or
offensive term. It was being economical with the truth. Ex: Sir Robert Armstrong
38. Exaggeration, A statement that makes something worse, or better, than it really is. If I
could work my will,” said Scrooge indignantly, “Every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry
Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of
holly through his heart. He should!” Ex: Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
39. Exclamation, A short expression writers use to express emotion. It can stand alone or
appear at the beginning or end of a sentence. It can convey emotions without necessarily
connecting to the main idea, and neither a subject nor verb needs to be present in order to
define an interjection.
Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud) / How fast she nears and nears! Ex: Samuel
Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of Ancient Mariner
40. Fable, A succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, legendary
creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized, and
that illustrates or leads to a particular moral lesson (a “moral”), which may at the end be
added explicitly as a concise maxim or saying. Slow and steady wins the race. Ex: Aesop,
The hare and the tortoise
41. Farce is a literary work that contains ridiculous plots, exaggerated characters, and over-
the-top situations for comedic effect.

"Am I in earth, in heaven, or in hell?

Sleeping or waking? mad or well-advis'd?

 Known unto these, and to myself disguis'd!

I'll say as they say, and persever so,

And in this mist at all adventures go." (The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare)

42. Flashback is a device that moves an audience from the present moment in a
chronological narrative to a scene in the past. Often, flashbacks are abrupt interjections
that further explain a story or character with background information and memories.

"I can't describe to you how surprised I was to find out I loved her, old sport. I even
hoped for a while that she'd throw me over, but she didn't, because she was in love with
me too." (The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald)

43. Foreshadowing is a literary device that writers utilize as a means to indicate or hint to
readers something that is to follow or appear later in a story.

“A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;” (Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare)

44. Hendiatris is a rhetorical figure of speech in which three words or phrases are used to
express a single idea or concept. It's a concise and impactful way to emphasize a point or
create a memorable expression. The three elements in a hendiatris are often connected by
"and" or commas.

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." ("Julius Caesar" by William

Shakespeare)

45. Hubris is excessive pride, arrogance, or self-confidence that often leads to a character's
downfall in literature. It involves defying or disrespecting the gods or natural order.

"Vaulting ambition, which o'er-leaps itself and falls on the other." (Macbeth" by
William Shakespeare)

46. Humor is a form of entertainment that evokes laughter or amusement in people. It often
involves incongruity, surprise, or the juxtaposition of ideas or situations. In literature,
humor can be used to highlight the absurdities of human nature, society, or everyday life.

"When Huck and Jim, a runaway slave, engage in various comical and ironic situations
as they travel down the Mississippi River together" (The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn, By Mark Twain)

47. Hyperbaton is a rhetorical device in which words or phrases are arranged in an

unexpected or unconventional order within a sentence. This deviation from typical word
 order is often used for emphasis, to create a certain rhythm or tone, or to draw attention to
specific words or ideas.

"when he says, "Powerful you have become, the dark side I sense in you." (Star Wars:
The Empire Strikes Back by Yoda)

48. Hyperbole is a figure of speech used in literature and rhetoric to exaggerate or

overemphasize something for emphasis, humor, or effect.

"I could eat a horse!" (Hamlet by William Shakespeare)

49. Iamb is a metrical foot in poetry consisting of two syllables, where the first is unstressed
and the second is stressed. It creates a rhythmic pattern called "iambic meter.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" (William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18":)

50. Imagery is in literature refers to the use of vivid and descriptive language that appeals to
the senses, creating a mental picture for the reader. It often involves the use of sensory
details such as sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell to enhance the reader's understanding
and immersion in the text.

"Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance." (I Wandered
Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth)

51. Interrogation is a form of questioning or inquiry, typically used to extract information,

elicit responses, or seek clarification in literature, it can be a narrative device where
characters ask each other questions to advance the plot or reveal important details.

"To be or not to be, that is the question." (Hamlet by William Shakespeare)

52. Irony is a literary device where there's a contrast between what is expected and what
actually happens.

"My only love sprung from my only hate!" (Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)

53. Isocolon is a rhetorical device in which successive phrases or clauses in a sentence have
parallel structure and length. It involves using a series of balanced and grammatically
similar structures to create symmetry and rhythm in a sentence or passage.

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people." (Gettysburg Address by
Abraham Lincoln)

54. Juxtaposition is a literary device that involves placing two or more contrasting elements,
such as characters, ideas, or settings, side by side to highlight their differences or create a
specific effect.
 "Can't repeat the past? Why, of course, you can!" (The Great Gatsby by F. Scott
Fitzgerald)

55. Kairos is a rhetorical concept that emphasizes the opportune or timely moment for
effective communication or persuasion.

"Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest" (Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare)

56. Legend is a narrative or story that combines elements of history and mythology, often
portraying extraordinary events, heroic figures, or legendary creatures.

"Then Sir Bedivere cried: Ah my lord Arthur, what shall become of me, now ye go from
me and leave me here alone among mine enemies?" (Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas
Malory)

57. Limerick is a form of humorous poetry consisting of five lines. It typically follows a
specific rhyme and meter pattern, which is often described as AABBA, where the first,
second, and fifth lines rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth lines rhyme with
each other. Limericks are known for their witty or whimsical content.

"There once was a man from Peru, Who dreamt he was eating his shoe. He awoke with a
fright

In the middle of the night To find that his dream had come true." (Book of Nonsense by
Edward Lear)

58. Litotes is a figure of speech in which understatement is used to emphasize a point by

stating a negative to express its positive opposite. It is a form of double negative where
the negation of the contrary is used to convey a strong affirmative meaning.

"Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." (Julius Caesar by Williams
Shakespeare)

59. Malapropism is a linguistic mistake in which a person uses a word that sounds similar to
the word they intended to use but has a completely different meaning, often resulting in a
humorous or nonsensical statement.

"Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons." (Much Ado About
Nothing William Shakespeare)

60. Masque is a form of festive courtly entertainment that was popular in England during the
Renaissance and early Stuart period. It typically involved a combination of poetry, music,
dance, and elaborate costumes, often with mythological or allegorical themes.
 "But she can bend the fatal merchandise, And sees a thousand virtues, streaming rays, To
which of these shall she be mistress, Which first shall bend her, all consenting to her
stay?" (Comus by John Milton)

61. Meiosis is a literary device that uses euphemistic understatement to downplay or

undermine a person, event, object, or movement. (Ex: ‘It’s not serious, I just have a tiny
tumour on the brain.” By: J D Salinger, The catcher in the rye)
62. Metaphor, a comparison between two things that are otherwise unrelated. (Ex: “The sun
was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed; It was past eight-thirty and still light.” By:
John Green, The Fault in Our Stars)
63. Metonymy, a figure of speech in which a word is substituted for another word that it is
closely associated with. (Ex: “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;” By:
William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar)
64. Metanoia, qualifies a statement by recalling it (or part of it) and expressing it in a better,
milder, or stronger way. (Ex: “Without that association, that sense of membership in
something or to put that a better way, without a sense of belonging and participation in a
group effort, the employee loses focus on what we're trying to accomplish." By: James A.
Autry, The Servant Leader)
65. Mood, a device that evokes certain feelings for readers through a work’s setting, tone,
theme, and diction. It’s also referred to as the “atmosphere” of a piece. (Ex: “Do you
know, I always thought unicorns were fabulous monsters, too? I never saw one alive
before!” “Well, now that we have seen each other,” said the unicorn, “if you’ll believe in
me, I’ll believe in you.” By: Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)
66. Motif, an object, image, sound, or phrase that is repeated throughout a story to point
toward the story’s larger theme. (Ex: A bright light in Romeo and Juliet, which is used to
express the love that Romeo and Juliet have for each other as well as the potential
danger of that love. By William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)
67. Onomatopoeia, the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound
associated with it. Ex: “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping
as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. ‘Tis some visitor,’ I muttered,
‘tapping at my chamber door only this and nothing more.” By: Edgar Allan Poe, The
Raven)
68. Oxymoron, any grouping of oppositional words to create a new, unique word or phrase.
Ex: “Down the close darkening lanes they sang their way to the siding-shed, And lined
the train with faces grimly gay.” By: Wilfred Owen, The Send-Off)
69. Palindrome, is a word, sentence, or number that can be read the same way backwards
and forwards. Ex: I was just beginning to yawn with nerves thinking he was trying to
make a fool of me, when I knew his tattarrattat at the door. By: James Joyce, Ulysses)
70. Parable, a short, realistic story that is written for the purpose of teaching a moral or
religious lesson. (Ex: The story teaches the importance of honesty. This moral is taught
 through a young boy who lies to get attention. Eventually, he loses the trust of the village
and has no help when he encounters a true crisis. By: Aesop, The Boy Who Cried Wolf)
71. Paradox, a device used to force the reader to consider a statement or idea more deeply or
critically than at face value. A statement, proposition, or situation that seems illogical,
absurd or self-contradictory, but which, upon further scrutiny, may be logical or true or at
least contain an element of truth. (Ex: “All animals are equal, but some are more equal
than others” is a principle dictum of a society of an animals uses as an allegory for
human society. By: George Orwell, Animal Farm)
72. Parody, a work that’s created by imitating an existing original work in order to make fun
of or comment on an aspect of the original. (Ex: It is a truth universally acknowledged,
that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. By: Jane
Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
73. Pastiche, a literary creation that imitates a famous work by another author. (Ex: He said
it’ll be wonderful you’ll see perhaps it will I said perhaps it will be wonderful perhaps
even though it won’t be like you think perhaps that won’t matter perhaps. By: David
Lodge, The British Museum is Falling Down)
74. Pathetic fallacy, a figure of speech or phrase that is used in a non-literal way to produce
a specific effect. The attribution of human emotion to inanimate objects, nature, or
animals. (Ex: “Some say the Earth was feverous and did shake” “Is it night’s
predominance, or day’s shame, that darkness does the face of earth entomb” “Thou seest
the heavens, as troubled with man’s act.” By: William Shakespeare, Macbeth)
75. Peripeteia, the sudden change in fortune that occurs for a protagonist or the reversal of
fortunes, usually from good to bad. Ex: Rose Calvert, a wealthy young woman, falls in
love with Jack Dawson, a poor young man. Rose rejects her elitist family for fun,
relaxation, and romance with Jack. The two lovers reach their tragic end when the ship
sinks and Jack dies. This peripeteia is sudden and unexpected but also makes sense in
that Rose chooses to wait with Jack rather than board the lifeboat with the rich women
and children. By: James Cameron, Titanic)
76. Persona, a type of mask that was worn by stage actors at that time, which represented
their character. (Ex: A unique persona is the un-named female narrator. By: Charlotte
Perkins Gilman’s, The Yellow Wallpaper)
77. Personification, huh a technique of figurative language that endows non-human subjects
with human characteristics. (Ex: Bright star! would I were steadfast as thou art, Not in
lone splendour hung aloft the night, And watching, with eternal lids apart, Like Nature’s
patient, sleepless Eremite. By: John Keats, Bright star would I were steadfast as thou art)
78. Platitude, An obvious, simple, and easily understood statement with little meaning or
emotional weight. (Ex: See thou character. Give your thoughts no tongue, Nor any
unproportion’d thought his act. Be familiar, but by no means vulgar. Do not dull thy palm
with entertainment of each new-hatcht, unfledged comrade’ (Translation: steer clear of
people pleasing for the sake of acceptance, not duty) Beware of entrance to a quarrel…
Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice. Costly thy habit as thy wallet can buy, but
 not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy; for the apparel often proclaims the man. By:
William Shakespeare, in Hamlet, Polonius to Laertes)
79. Pleonasm, A case in which one uses too many words to express a message, either by
mistake or as a tool for emphasis. (Ex: The most unkindest cut of all. By: Shakespeare,
Julius Caesar)
80. Polysyndeton, A literary device that uses multiple repetitions of the same conjunction
(and, but, if, etc.), most commonly the word “and.” (Ex: “If there be cords, or knives,
Poison, or fire, or suffocating streams, I’ll not endure it.” By: William Shakespeare,
Othello III.3)
81. A prologue is an introductory literary work section that provides background information
about the story or characters.
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question ...
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit. ("The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot)
82. A pun is a play on words that relies on words with similar or identical sounds but with
different meanings. Puns can be used to create humor in literary works.
‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ (“Mending Wall” by Robert Frost)
83. Repetition is a literary device that involves intentionally using a word or phrase for
effect, two or more times in a speech or written work. There are many types of repetition
in rhetoric, but below are some of the most common. (literaryterms.net)
a. Epizeuxis: repetition of a word in sequence.
"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” (“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare)
b. Anaphora: repetition of a word at the beginning of each phrase or clause.
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery’s scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek— (“Let America Be America Again” by
Langston Hughes)
c. Mesodiplosis: repetition of a word in the middle of each phrase or clause.
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips. (“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou)
d. Epistrophe: repetition of a word at the end of each phrase or clause.
‘Yes, what else but home?
It all depends on what you mean by home. (“The Death of the Hired Man” by Robert
Frost)
84. Sarcasm is a literary device that involves the use of irony to mock or ridicule something.
Love you ten years before the Flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews. (“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell)
85. Satire is a literary device that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize and
ridicule individuals, institutions, or society as a whole
a) Juvenalian. This is the strongest type of satire as it attacks a single target in a vicious
way. An example is "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift. Swift's work is a classic
example of Juvenalian satire. Throughout the novel, he uses the character of Lemuel
Gulliver to satirize various aspects of British society, politics, and human nature. One of
the most famous episodes is the portrayal of the Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos, which
serves as a harsh critique of human behavior.
b) Menippean. This type of satire is similar in harshness to Juvenalian, but it attacks a more
general target. An example is “The Anatomy of Melancholy" by Robert Burton. This
massive work, published in the 17th century, is a prime example of Menippean satire. It is
a sprawling exploration of various topics, including human nature, psychology, and the
human condition. Burton's writing blends humor, erudition, and satire to offer a satirical
commentary on the complexities of the human mind.
c) Horatian. This type of satire makes fun of things in a soft or even loving manner. It’s
usually a form of parody that is intended to make people think. "Monty Python's Life of
Brian", is a film that satirizes religion and religious fanaticism through humor and
absurdity.
86. Simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two things using comparison words
such as "like", "as", "so", or "than".
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way, (“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William
Wordsworth)
87. Soliloquy is a monologue addressed to oneself, thoughts spoken out loud without
addressing another.
"If it were done when 'tis done" (“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare)
88. Spondee is a metrical foot in poetry that consists of two accented syllables.
“And miles to go before I sleep," (“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert
Frost”
89. Spoonerism is a type of linguistic error that occurs when corresponding consonants,
vowels, or morphemes are switched between two words in a phrase.
"Am I so round with you as you with me, / That like a football you do spurn me thus?"
(The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare.)
90. Stereotype is a generalized belief about a group of people that is assumed to be true
about every person within that group.
Not so the ancients of these lands—
The Indian, when from life released,
Again is seated with his friends,
And shares again the joyous feast.
(The Indian Burying Ground by Philip Freneau)
91. Surrealism in literature is a movement that seeks to bridge together reality and the
imagination.
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
(Dream by Langston Hughes)
92. Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it
may use a whole to represent a part.
"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons"
"I should have been a pair of ragged claws / Scuttling across the floors of silent seas"
"Do I dare / Disturb the universe?"
(The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot)
93. Synesthesia is a literary device that uses words to appeal to more than one sense at a
time. It is a figure of speech that is used to create vivid and memorable images in
literature.
"To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees, / And fill all fruit with ripeness to the
core;"
(Autumn by John Keats)
94. Tautology is a term used in literature and logic to describe a statement that is redundant
or repetitive.
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
(The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe)
95. Tone in literature refers to the attitude or feelings of the writer towards the subject matter
and audience. Example: Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? by William
Shakespeare.
96. Transferred epithet is a figure of speech in which an adjective or epithet describing a
noun is transferred from the noun it is meant to describe to another noun in the sentence.
"Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways" (Endymion by John Keats)
 97. Tricolon is a rhetorical device that consists of three parallel clauses, phrases, or words,
which happen to come in quick succession without any interruption.
Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
(Dirge Without Music by Edna St. Vincent Millay)
98. Trope is a figure of speech that uses words or phrases in a way that is not literal, but
rather figurative, to create a particular effect.
Love you ten years before the Flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
(To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell)
99. Truism is a statement that is so obvious or self-evident that its truth is not questioned.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune,
must be in want of a wife."
Novel "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
100. Understatement is a literary device used by writers or speakers to intentionally
make a situation seem less important than it really is. Three types of understatement are:
a. Ironic Understatement: "I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me" ("My Shadow" by
Robert Louis Stevenson)
b. Comedic understatement: "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still
what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one
word from you will silence me on this subject forever." (Novel "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane
Austen)
c. Modest Understatement: "It was a bit nippy outside" ("The Snowman" by Raymond Briggs)
d. Polite Understatement:
"Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality."
(Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson)