2025 Othello Literary Terms Flashcards

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alliteration

Back

a stylistic device in which several words have the same consonant sound that occur close together in a series.

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allusion

Back

a reference to something from popular culture that most people would know.

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apostrophe

Back

a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an object, concept or person that is absent or unable to respond.

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aside

Back

a remark made by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play. It is often used for comedic effect or to reveal a character’s underlying intentions.

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direct characterization

Back

when the author explicitly tells what a character says, does, feels, etc.

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dramatic irony

Back

when the audience knows something a character in the literary work does not.

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ethos

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an appeal to the audience based on the authority of the speaker and their reliability and trustworthiness.

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extended metaphor

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a comparison between two unlike things that continues at length in a literary work.

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foil

Back

a character in a literary work whose characterizations and behaviors contrasts with the main character. This is usually to highlight the positive and negative characterizations of each character.

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foreshadowing

Back

the use of words and phrases that hint at something to come; creates suspense without giving away the ending.