IB HL Lang/Lit Poetic Devices/Terms (part 2)

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Irony

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The contrast between the actual meaning and the suggestion of another meaning. Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which the actual intent is expressed in words that carry the opposite meaning. It differs from sarcasm in that it is usually lighter, less harsh in its wording though in effect probably more cutting because of its indirectness.

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Line Break

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A poetic device used at the end of a line, and the beginning of the next line in a poem. It can be employed without traditional punctuation and can create enjambment.

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Lyric/Lyrical Poem

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Any short poem that presents a single speaker who expresses thoughts and feelings. Love lyrics are common, but lyric poems have also been written on subjects as different as religion and reading.

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Metaphor

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A figurative use of language in which a comparison is expressed without the use of a comparative term like 'as,' 'like,' or 'than.'

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Metonymy

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A form of metaphor in which a word we associate with something is used in place of the actual word. Example: The White House asked the television networks for air time.

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Mixed Metaphors

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The mingling of one metaphor with another immediately following with which the first is incongruous. Example: 'I smell a rat. I see it floating in the air. I shall nip it in the bud.'

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Mood

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The atmosphere or feeling created in a work of literature by the author.

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Narrative Poem

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A poem that tells a story or presents a narrative, whether simple or complex, long or short. Epics and ballads are examples.

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Onomatopoeia

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The use of words whose sound suggests their meaning. Examples: 'buzz,' 'hiss,' or 'honk.'

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Oxymoron

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A form of paradox that combines a pair of contrary terms into a single expression. Example: 'wise fool,' 'sad joy,' and 'eloquent silence.'