《优》1-1WORD版.docVIP

HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE Asso. Prof. Cao Jin College of Foreign Languages and Literature caojin@ Feb., 2009 Literary Terms allegory a story which teaches a lesson because the people and places in it stand for other ideas. an example is John Bunyan’s pilgrim’s progress. alliteration repeating a sound or a letter, especially at the beginning of words, in poetry: e.g. “five miles meandering with a mazy motion…”. assonance repeating a vowel sound, often in the middle of words, in poetry: e.g. pale/brave. autobiography the written account of a person’s own life ballad originally a song for dancers, then in mediaeval times a simple poem with short stanzas telling a story. some romantic poets of the 19th century also wrote ballads biography the written account of someone else’s life blank verse any verses, especially iambic pentameters, that do not rhyme. used by Marlowe, Shakespeare, Milton and many other poets, this is the most characteristic English form caricature a way of drawing or writing which makes the special features of a person or group stronger, so that they are ridiculous. chorus in greek drama the chorus watched the action of the play and told the story. the modern meaning can be simply a group of people other than the hero or heroine. chronicle a history of events year by year classic a. work as a great work b. ancient Greek and Latin literature c. writing influence by ancient Greek and Latin comedy something that is funny couplet two lines of verse that rhyme crisis the most important part of a play diary a written record of daily life epilogue an ending, or an extra part after the end of a book or a play epitaph sth. written on a tombstone essay a short prose work fantasy an imaginative work , no basis in the real life farce a comedy, with ridiculous plot fiction a work invented by the writer, with characters and events are imaginary fairy tale (story) a popular story told to children foot a