Shakespeare's Language & Tools Flashcard

Front

What does the term 'U /' signify in marking words?

Back

It indicates that the first syllable is stressed (U) and the second syllable is unstressed (/).

Front

What does 'blank' in blank verse mean?

Back

It signifies 'unrhymed', referring to poetry that does not have a rhyme scheme.

Front

What is dramatic irony?

Back

Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows something that the characters do not.

Front

What is assonance in poetry?

Back

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Front

What is the purpose of comic relief in a play?

Back

To heighten the seriousness of the main action by contrast.

Front

What is a metaphor?

Back

A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

Front

Define 'iambic pentameter'.

Back

A type of poetic meter that consists of five iambs (unstressed-stressed syllable pairs) per line.

Front

What is a soliloquy?

Back

A speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, often while alone on stage.

Front

What does the term 'couplet' refer to in poetry?

Back

A pair of consecutive rhyming lines.

Front

What is the significance of the 'tragic flaw' in a character?

Back

It is a personal defect that leads to the character's downfall.