norton anthology poetry terms

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The Norton Anthology of Poetry: Flashcards

http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nap/glossary_flashcards.htm

accentual meter Lines of verse organized y n!mer of stresses rather than y feet or n!mer

of syllales. This was the form of poetry written in "ld #nglish $whichcomined stress with alliteration%. For a modern e&ample' see (ichard )il!r'*+!n,* $--%. Accent!al meter is the asis of spr!ng rhythm.

accentual stressmeter

Lines of verse ased on the metrical foot. This is the most common form of#nglish poetry.

alcaics A fo!r0line stanza of considerale metrical comple&ity' named after theancient 1ree, poet Alcae!s.

alliteration The repetition of so!nds in neary words' most often involving the initialconsonants of words $and sometimes the internal consonants in stressedsyllales%.

allusion An indirect reference to a te&t' myth' event' or person o!tside the poem itself$compare echo%. Altho!gh it is woven into the conte&t of the poem' it carriesits own history of meaning: for e&ample' see the reference to 2amlet in T. 3.#liot' *The Love 3ong of +. Alfred Pr!froc,* $--4%.

ambiguity The aility to mean more than one thing.

analogy (esemlance in certain respects etween things that are otherwise !nli,e5also' the !se of s!ch li,eness to predict other similarities.

anapest Two !nstressed syllales followed y a stressed one' as in *!naridged* $seefoot%.

anaphora (epetition of a word or phrase at the eginning of s!ccessive lines. For

e&ample' see Anne 6radstreet' *To 7y 8ear and Loving 2!sand* $-49%.

assonance The repetition of vowel so!nds in a line or series of lines. Assonance oftenaffects pace $y wor,ing against short and long vowel patterns% and seemsto !nderscore the words incl!ded in the pattern. For e&ample' see theeginning of 3am!el Taylor oleridge' *;!la ;han* $-9-%.

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aubade A lyric ao!t the dawn $e.g.' see +ohn 8onne' *The 3!n (ising* %.

ballad A narrative poem' impersonally related' that is $or originally was% meant to es!ng. haracterized y repetition and often y a repeated refrain $a rec!rrentphrase or series of phrases%' the earliest allads were anonymo!s wor,stransmitted orally from person to person thro!gh generations. For e&ample'see *3ir Patric, 3pens.* 7odern literary allads imitate these fol, creations$e.g.' 3am!el Taylor oleridge' *The (ime of the Ancient 7ariner* %.

ballad stanza A fo!r0line stanza' the second and fo!rth lines of which are iamic trimeterand rhyme with each other5 the first and third lines' in iamic tetrameter' donot rhyme. This form' fre?!ently !sed in hymns' is also ,nown as *commonmeter*5 a loose form of it is often !sed y #mily 8ic,inson.

blank verse @nrhymed iamic pentameter5 for e&ample' see Alfred' Lord Tennyson'*@lysses* $-9B%.

caesura A sign' !sed in scansion' that mar,s a nat!ral pa!se in spea,ing a line of

poetry.

concrete poetry An attempt to s!pplement $or replace% veral meaning with vis!al devicesfrom painting and sc!lpt!re. A tr!e concrete poem cannot e spo,en5 it isviewed' not read $compare pattern poetry%.

confessional poem A relatively new $or recently defined% ,ind of poetry in which the spea,erfoc!ses on the poet*s own psychic iography. This lael is often applied towritings of (oert Lowell' 3ylvia Plath' and Anne 3e&ton.

connotation )hat is s!ggested y a word' apart from what it e&plicitly and directlydescries $compare denotation%. For e&ample' the *cypresses* of #avan6olands *That the 3cience of artography Cs Limited* $-% connote death'eca!se of their traditional associations with mo!rning.

controlling

metaphors

7etaphors that dominate or organize an entire poem. For e&ample'

metaphors of movement str!ct!re +ohn 8onne*s *A Dalediction Foridding7o!rning* $-==%.

conventions 3tandard ways of saying things in verse' employed to achieve certaine&pected effects. onventions may pertain to style $e.g.' the rhyme schemeof the sonnet% or content $e.g.' the fig!re of the shepherd in the pastoral%.

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couplet A pair of lines' almost always rhyming' that form a !nit.

dactyl A stressed syllale followed y two !nstressed ones' as in *screwdriver*. $seefoot%.

denotation The direct and literal meaning of a word or phrase $as distinct from itsimplication%. ompare connotation.

dramatic poetry Poetry written in the voice of one or more characters ass!med y the poet.For e&ample' 1eoffrey ha!cer*s anter!ry Tales are dramatic narratives.

dramaticmonologue

A poem written in the voice of a character' set in a specific sit!ation' andspo,en to someone. This form is most strongly identified with poems of(oert 6rowning $e.g.' *7y Last 8!chess* %5 see also Alfred' LordTennyson' *@lysses* $-9B%.

echo A reference that recalls a word' phrase' or so!nd in another te&t. Fore&ample' *And indeed there will e time* in #liot*s *Love 3ong of +. AlfredPr!froc,* $--4% recalls oth #cclesiastes =.- $*To everything there is aseason' and a time to every p!rpose !nder the heaven*% and Andrew 7arvell'*To 2is oy 7istress* $-9-5 *2ad we !t world eno!gh and time*%. Ct is lessspecific than an all!sion.

elegy Cn classical times' any poem on any s!Eect written in *elegiac* meter $dactylicco!plets comprising a he&ameter followed y a pentameter line%' !t sincethe (enaissance !s!ally a formal lament for the death of a partic!lar person.For e&ample' see ). 2. A!den' *Cn 7emory of ). 6. eats* $-G%.

end stop A line rea, that coincides with the end of the sentence $vs. a r!n0on line5compare enEamment%.

English sonnet Three fo!r0line stanzas and a co!plet' rhymed aa cdcd efef gg. Fore&ample' see )illiam 3ha,espeare' 3onnet - $-G5 *Poor so!l' the centerof my sinf!l earth*%.

enjambment The !se of a line that *r!ns on* to the ne&t line' witho!t pa!se' to completeits grammatical sense $compare end stop%. For e&ample' see 1wendolyn6roo,s' *)e (eal ool* $-G%.

envoy A short concl!ding stanza fo!nd in certain poetic forms $e.g.' the sestina%

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that often provides a concise s!mming0!p of the poem.

epic A long poem' in a contin!o!s narrative often divided into *oo,s'* on a greator serio!s s!Eect. Traditionally' it celerates the achievements of mightyheroes and heroines' !sing elevated lang!age and a grand' high style $e.g.'2omers Cliad%' !t later epics have een more personal $e.g.' )illiam)ordsworths Prel!de % and less formal in str!ct!re $e.g.' 2. 8.is 2elen in #gypt %.

epigram "riginally any poem carved in stone $on tomstones' !ildings' gates' etc.%'!t in modern !sage a very short' !s!ally witty verse with a ?!ic, t!rn at theend $e.g.' m!ch of the light verse of "gden Nash%.

extendedmetaphors

8etailed and comple& metaphors that e&tend over a long section of a poem$e.g.' the metaphor of grass in )hitmans *3ong of 7yself* ' section or of the compass in 8onnes *A Dalediction Foridding 7o!rning*%.

feminine rhyme (hymes comprised of a stressed syllale followed y an !nstressed syllale

$e.g.' see 1eorge 1ordon' Lord 6yron' 8on +!an -.=9 : *2e learn*d thearts of riding' fencing' g!nnery' / And how to scale a fortress0 or a n!nnery*%.ompare masc!line rhyme.

figures of speech @ses of a word or words that go eyond the literal meaning to show or implya relationship' evo,ing a f!rther meaning. 3!ch fig!res' sometimes called*tropes* $i.e.' rhetorical *t!rns*%' incl!de anaphora' metaphor' metonymy' and

irony.

foot The asic !nit' consisting of two or three syllales' into which a line is dividedin scansion. Derse is laeled according to its dominant foot $e.g.' iamic% andthe n!mer of feet per line $e.g.' pentameter%. Lines of one' two' three' fo!r'five' and si& feet are respectively called monometer' dimeter' trimeter'tetrameter' pentameter' and he&ameter. 3ee anapest' iam' dactyl' spondee'and trochee.

free verse Poetry that does not follow the r!les of reg!larized meter and strict form.

2owever' these open forms contin!e to rely on patterns of rhythm andrepetition to impose order5 for e&ample' see )hitman' *3ong of 7yself*$-99-%.

heroic couplet A pair of rhymed lines of iamic pentameter. For e&ample' see 1eoffreyha!cer' *The Pardoner*s Tale.* Perhaps the most polished instances of this

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form are provided y Ale&ander Pope.

iamb An !nstressed syllale followed y a stressed one' as in *aove* $see foot%.Camic is the most common meter in #nglish poetry.

image A mental representation of a partic!lar thing ale to e vis!alized $and oftenale to e apprehended y senses other than sight%.

irony A fig!re in which what is stated is the opposite of what is meant or e&pected.For e&ample' see )ilfred "wen is ironic !se of 2orace' "des =.B.-=' in *8!lce#t 8ecor!m #st* $-BG%.

Italian sonnet An octave $eight lines% and a sestet $si& lines%5 typically rhymed aaaacdecde' it has many variations that still reflect the asic division into twoparts separated y a rhetorical t!rn of arg!ment $e.g.' see #lizaeth 6arrett

6rowning' 3onnets from the Port!g!ese %.

limerick A five0line light poem' !s!ally in anapestic rhythm. The first' second' and fifthlines are rhymed trimeter5 lines three and fo!r are rhymed dimeter. Therhymes are fre?!ently eccentric' and the s!Eect matter is often nonsensicalor oscene.

lyric "riginally a poem meant to e s!ng to the accompaniment of a lyre. Now' alyric is the most common verse form: any fairly short poem in the voice of asingle spea,er' !s!ally e&pressing personal concerns rather than descriing anarrative or dramatic sit!ation.

masculine rhyme (hymes that consist of a single stressed syllale. This is the most commonform of end rhyme in #nglish $compare feminine rhyme%.

meditation A contemplation of some physical oEect as a way of reflecting !pon somelarger tr!th' often $!t not necessarily% a spirit!al one. For e&ample' see)allace 3tevens' *3!nday 7orning* $-B=%.

metaphor A fig!re of speech that relies on a li,eness or analogy etween two things toe?!ate them and th!s s!ggest a relationship etween them. For e&ample' in*A Far ry from Africa* $-B% 8ere, )alcott portrays the continent as ananimal' with a *tawny pelt* and *loodstreams.* ompare metonymy' simile.

meter The formal organization of the rhythm of a line into reg!lar patterns5 see

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foot' scansion.

metonymy A fig!re that relies on a close relationship other than similarity $comparemetaphor% in s!stit!ting a word or phrase for the thing meant. For e&ample'the *scepter* in Tennyson*s *@lysses* $-9B% represents the r!le of Cthaca.

mnemonic devices Forms' s!ch as rhyme' !ilt into poems to help reciters rememer thepoems.

motif A rec!rrent device' form!la' or sit!ation that delierately connects a poemwith pree&isting patterns and conventions. For e&ample' #dm!nd 3pensers3onnet 4H $-HH5 *"ne day C wrote her name !pon the strand*% relies on themotif of immortality thro!gh poetry $cf. )illiam 3ha,espeare' 3onnet HH%.

mythologies Large systems of elief and tradition on which c!lt!res draw to e&plain and!nderstand themselves. These are often political or religio!s' and oftenecome conventional over time $for e&ample' see the !se of *Den!s* son* in#lizaeth s *)hen C )as Fair and o!ng*%.

narrative Poetry that tells a story and is primarily characterized y linear' chronologicaldescription.

occasional poem A poem written ao!t or for a specific occasion' p!lic or private $e.g.' 7ayaAngelo! s poem for the -= presidential ina!g!ration' *"n the P!lse of7orning*%. 3!ch poems can transcend the partic!lar incident that inspiredthem5 for e&ample' see )illiam 6!tler eats' *#aster --* $--%.

ode An e&tended lyric' !s!ally elevated in style and with an elaorate stanzaic

str!ct!re $e.g.' see 3am!el Taylor oleridge' *8eEection: An "de* %.

off-rhyme (hyme that does not perfectly match in vowel or consonant so!nd5 fore&ample' see )illiam 6!tler eats' *#aster --* $--%: faces / ho!ses'gie / cl!' etc.

onomatopoeia @se of a word or words the so!nd of which appro&imates the so!nd of thething denoted $e.g.' *splash*%.

oxymoron A fig!re of speech that comines two apparently contradictory words $e.g'+ohn 7ilton*s description of the flames of hell as giving *No light' !t rather

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dar,ness visile* in Paradise Lost -.= %.

parody A poem that imitates another poem closely' !t changes details for comic orcritical effect. For e&ample' *The 8over 6itch* y Anthony 2echt $-9%parodies 7atthew Arnold*s *8over 6each* $-94%.

pastoral A poem $also called an eclog!e' a !colic' or an idyll% that portrays thesimple life of co!ntry fol,' !s!ally shepherds' as a timeless world of ea!ty'peace' and contentment. From its eginnings $the 1ree, Cdyls of Theocrit!s'third cent!ry 6..%' pastoral has idealized r!ral life5 poets have !sed theconventions of this highly artificial form to e&plore s!Eects having little to dowith any act!al co!ntryside $for e&ample' see hristopher 7arlowe' *ThePassionate 3hepherd to 2is Love*


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quatrain A fo!r0line stanza' whether rhymed or !nrhymed. This is the most commonstanza form in #nglish poetry.

rhyme The repetition of the same $*perfect rhyme*% or similar so!nds' most often atthe ends of lines. 3ee off0rhyme' vowel rhyme.

rhyme royal A seven0line iamic pentameter stanza' rhymed aacc. For e&ample' seeThomas )yatt' *They Flee from 7e* $-HH4%.

scansion The analysis of a line of poetry $y *scanning*% to determine its pattern ofstressed and !nstressed syllales' which !s!ally are divided into metricalfeet. 3ee foot.

sestina 3i& si&0line stanzas and a final three0line stanza in a comple& form thatrepeats words' not lines $as in the villanelle% or rhymes. The final word in

each line of the first stanza ecomes the final word in other stanzas $in a setpattern: A68#F' FA#68' F8A6#' #6FA8' 8#AF6' 68F#A%5 the lines inthe concl!ding stanza' or envoy' !s!ally end #A and each line contains one

of the remaining three end words. Cnvented in the twelfth cent!ry y thetro!ado!rs' the form has again come into !se in the twentieth cent!ry $e.g.'y 7arilyn 2ac,er%5 the repetitions often convey a sense of circling aro!nd as!Eect.

setting The time and place of the action in a poem.3ha,espearean sonnet: 3ee#nglish sonnet.

simile A direct' e&plicit comparison of one thing to another that !s!ally draws theconnection with the words *li,e* or *as.* ompare metaphor.

situation The conte&t of the action in a poem5 that is' what is happening when thepoem egins.

sonnet A form' !s!ally only a single stanza' that offers several related possiilities forits rhyme scheme5 however' it is always fo!rteen lines long and !s!ally

written in iamic pentameter. 3ee #nglish sonnet' Ctalian sonnet' and3penserian sonnet.

speaker The person' not necessarily the a!thor' who is the voice of a poem. 3eepersona.

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Spenserian sonnet Three fo!r0line stanzas $interwoven y overlapping rhyme% and a co!plet5this sonnet is rhymed aa cc cdcd ee. For e&ample' see #dm!nd 3penser'*3onnet 4-* $-HH5 *"ne day C wrote her name !pon the strand*%.

Spenserian stanza #ight lines of iamic pentameter and a ninth line of iamic he&ameter' calledan ale&andrine' rhymed aacc. The name of the stanza comes from#dm!nd 3penser*s !se of it in *The Faerie I!eene* $-H%5 see also +ohn;eats' *The #ve of 3t. Agnes* $-9BG%.

spondee A stressed syllale followed y another syllale of appro&imately e?!al stress'as in *hot dog* $see foot%.

sprung rhythm 1erard 7anley 2op,ins* lending of accent!al meter with the more familiarfeet of accent!al0syllale meter. Cn his system' each foot egins with a stress5the line is meas!red y the n!mer of stresses' which fall with normal wordstress $and need not e separated y !nstressed syllales%.

stanzas 1ro!ps of lines' !s!ally in some predetermined pattern of meter and rhyme'

that are set off from one another y a space.

subject The general or specific area of concern of a poem5 also called its topic.

syllabic verse A form in which the poet estalishes a precise n!mer of syllales to a line'witho!t regard to their stress' and repeats them in s!se?!ent stanzas. Fore&ample' see 7arianne 7oore' *Poetry* $-B-%.

symbol A word or image that stands for something else in a vivid !t indeterminateway: it s!ggests more than what it act!ally says. For e&ample' see Li0o!ngLee' *Persimmons* $-9%.

symbolic poem A poem in which the !se of symols is so pervasive and internally consistentthat the larger referential world is distanced' if not forgotten. For e&ample'see Adrienne (ich' *8iving into the )rec,* $-4=%.

synesthesia Fig!rative e&pression of the perception of one sense in terms of another. Fore&ample' see )illiam 6la,e' *London* $-4%: *And the hapless 3oldier*s sigh /(!ns in lood down Palace walls.*

syntax The formal arrangement of words in a sentence.

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