An Introduction to Literary Terms

.. Hello dear butterflies
This page will help students of English Literature in their first levels
because the basic literary terms will be explained

.. Let’s start
The first thing you look at when analysing a story or a poem is the

Theme .. the central idea of a literary work

Then you can look for
Figure of speech .. it is the way of saying something other than the ordinary way and it includes all elements that I’ll mention later
المحسن البديعي It is called in Arabic

Connotation .. is the deep meaning of a word or what the word stands for
Denotation .. is the literal meaning of a word
for example .. the denotative meaning for the word (white) is the color but it stands for pureness and innocence

Simile .. a comparison between tow things by using words such as: like – similar to – resembles – seems – as
example .. She is beautiful as the moon
Metaphor .. again it is a comparison between tow things BUT without using the previous words
example .. She is a moon

Personification .. when a human aspect is given to an animal, an object or a concept
example .. time is running

Onomatopoeia .. when the word itself indicates a specific sound
example .. buzz – quack

Rime Scheme .. the final sound of a stanza or a poem
السجع It is called in Arabic

Stanza .. a group of lines in a poem

Tone .. it is the writer’s attitude towards his work ” poem – story – play ” and it can be sarcastic or gloomy and so on

Irony .. a use of language with some kind of incongruity .. and there are three kinds of irony
Verbal Irony .. when you mean the opposite of what you have said
Dramatic Irony .. by implying different meanings from the intended one
Irony of Situation or situational irony .. when there is an incongruity between actual circumstances and what would seem appropriate

Alliteration .. the repetition of the initial sound of words whether consonants or vowels
example .. (map – moon ) or (approve – understand ) 0

Paradox .. a statement which contains contradictory elements

As for images and they are found a lot in stories and poems .. there are three kinds
Visual Image .. when the poet or writer gives a clear description for a place or anything .. you feel as if you are seeing the picture clearly
Auditory Image .. it is the same but here you feel as if you are listening to the sound being described
Tactile .. here the description is given to something can be touched
” rough – soft – hot – cold and so on “

These are the most important figures of speech used in literature
but of course there are Many more

Now dear butterflies you can choose a poem and analyse it
first look at new words then
the theme then
figures of speech