Technical & Specialized Words 2

7/28/2019 Technical & Specialized Words 2

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: : important for GRE analogies : :

: : important for GRE analogies : :


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Table of Contents

ARCHITECTURAL TERMS(adobevault50 words)

LITERARY TERMS(allegoryunderstatement34 words)

Note: Those words marked with an * asterisk has appeared in past GRE papers


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ARCHITECTURE


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adobebuilding

materialwhichusesbricksmade oftightlycompacted earth,clay and

straw. adobe
http://www.cv.ic.ac.uk/el_salvador/Design/Assets/Colour%20Photos/images/05%20Adobe%20Factory_jpeg.jpghttp://www.cv.ic.ac.uk/el_salvador/Design/Assets/Colour%20Photos/images/05%20Adobe%20Factory_jpeg.jpghttp://www.cv.ic.ac.uk/el_salvador/Design/Assets/Colour%20Photos/images/05%20Adobe%20Factory_jpeg.jpg


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appliquornamental

ordecorativematerialapplied tothe finish

of astructure,not of thestructure's originalmaterial.

appliqu

appliqu


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*arabesque

used by the

Arabs andSaracens (orMoors) inSpain, this

ornament is apainted,inlaid ormosaic lowreliefof

geometric orbotanicalpatterns.


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arcadeseries of

arches,either

open or

closedwithmasonry,supported

bycolumnsor piers.

arch

arch


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*arch: basic

architectural

structure

composed of

bricks orstonesso

arranged as

by mutualpressure to

support one

another.

arch


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architrave main lintel

or beamspanningfromcolumn to

column. lowestdivision ofthe

entablaturein classicalarchitecture

architrave
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/column.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/column.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/entablature.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/entablature.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/entablature.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/column.html


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awning metal, glass,

or cloth

protective

roofover a

window,

deck, or

door to offer

shade or

relief fromrain.

awning:


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balustraderow of

repeating

balusters -

small posts

which supportthe upper rail

of a railing.

Staircases and

porches oftenhave

balustrades

balustrade

baluster


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belfrybell tower,

especially

one

attached

to a

building.

The part

of a tower

or steeplein which

bells are

hung

belfrybelfry
http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=17t9o4bysei5n?method=4&dsname=Wikipedia+Images&dekey=BelfortBrugge.jpg&gwp=8&sbid=lc04bhttp://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=17t9o4bysei5n?method=4&dsname=Wikipedia+Images&dekey=BelfortBrugge.jpg&gwp=8&sbid=lc04bhttp://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=17t9o4bysei5n?method=4&dsname=Wikipedia+Images&dekey=BelfortBrugge.jpg&gwp=8&sbid=lc04b


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belvedere Belle vedere

meansbeautiful

view inItalian. Abelvedere isanarchitectura

l feature ona roofterrace, orgarden thataffords a

beautifulview.

belvederebelvedere


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*buttress

exterior

masonry

projection

from a

wall tocreate

additional

strengthand

support

for roof


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campanile

bell toweror

any tower

containing

a bell,

generallyattached

to a

church. same asbelfry

campanile


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canopy:ornamental projection overdoors, windows and openings

canopy


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caprice

design

elementthat is

whimsic

al, light,andfanciful

caprice caprice


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cartouche taken from the

French namefor a scroll ofpaper, this isan ornamentfrom the late

Renaissance orBaroque erathat bears thename of thebuilding's

patron on apaper withrolled up edges.

cartouche
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/baroque.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/baroque.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htm


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*castle large

fortified

building or

group of

buildingswith thick

walls, usually

dominating

thesurrounding

country.castle
http://www.atpm.com/10.11/ireland/images/kilkenny-castle-1.jpghttp://www.atpm.com/10.11/ireland/images/kilkenny-castle-1.jpghttp://www.atpm.com/10.11/ireland/images/kilkenny-castle-1.jpg


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chteau palacesin

France. The

mostrenownedare those inthe Loirevalley builtduring thelatemedievaland

Renaissance periodsbetween1300 and1600. chteau
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htm


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clerestory row of

windows

that isaboveeye leveland

allowslightinto aroom..


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colonnade: structure composed of columnsplaced at regular intervals.

colonnade


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corbel this appears to

be the original

method ofmaking arches :aseries of stonesor bricks thatprotrude beyondthe lower level.Corbels are alsoused to supportcornices, turrets,brackets, andoriel windows.

A corbel can alsomean a stone orpiece of wood thatsupports asuperincumbentweight.

corbel
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/turret.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/bracket.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/oriel.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/oriel.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/bracket.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/turret.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.html


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cornice originally this

element wasthe woodenoverhang of theroof..Translated tostone, brick,iron, and steel,it became anyprojecting shelfat the top of a

ceiling or roof.These can behighlydecorated.

cornice

cornice


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cupola dome-shaped

ornamentalstructure placedon the top of alarger roof or

dome. In somecases, the entiremain roof of atower or spire canbe a cupola.

Often, you can reach thecupola by climbing astairway inside thebuilding. This type ofcupola is called a belvedere


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dome any roof

structure

that is

curved

and spans

an

ultimately

circular

base. Seealso

cupola.

dome
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cupola.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cupola.html


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faade the "face"

of abuilding,

usually the

front.

the

arrangeme

nt of

windowson a facade

is called

fenestrationfaade


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fountain water element

that forces

water through ajet or series ofjets.Minoanshad fountains(1600 B.C.) TheRomans had

perhaps the mostcelebratedfountains (200B.C. - 200 A.D.),and the

Renaissancearchitectsrevived thefountain around1500.

fountain
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Roman.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Roman.htm


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*fresco paintings

done onwalls usingwater-basedpigmentsthat are

added toplaster andappliedover afreshly

spreadplaster. Theearliestfrescoes areMinoan (1600B.C.).

fresco

fresco


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*frieze originating

from Greekarchitecture

(600 - 400B.C.),afrieze is acontinuoushorizontalband ofcarved orpainteddecoration.It wasoriginally themiddle band

of anentablaturewhich liesbetween thearchitrave andthe cornice.
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/architrave.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/architrave.html


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*gable triangular

end of aroofabove the

eaveswhichcloses theroof on

that end. Also, a

kind of

roof.

gable

shingles

* l


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*gargoyle originating in

Gothic

architecture,this is a waterspout for roofrun- off.Gargoyles arecarved human,animal ordemon figureswho offer the

roof run-offthrough theiropen mouths.

gargoyle
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/gothic.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/gothic.htm


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gazebo roofed

structurewith opensides foundin publicparksor

large privategardenswhich acts asan outdoorroom or

venue forsummerconcerts andluncheons.

gazebo


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grotesque carved or

painted

decoration thatcombines humanelements withanimal andplant elements

in anunrecognizedmotif, i.e. not acentaur, satyr,mermaid, or

recognizablereligious figure.

grotesque

grotesque


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keystone:central

stone inan arch. Akeystone isusuallylarger thanthe otherstones orvoussoirsand can bequiteornate,

particularlyin theRenaissanceand theBaroqueperiods.

Keystone

keystone

t ympanum
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/baroque.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/baroque.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htm


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kiln furnace for

firing potteryand enamels,for makingbrick,charcoal,lime, andcement, forroasting ores,and for drying

varioussubstances(e.g., lumber,chemicals).


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lintelflat

horizontalbeamwhich

spans thespacebetween

two

supports.lintel

i t


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minaret from the

Arabic word

menarameaninglighthouse, theminaret is themain tower ona mosque.Inside there isgenerally astaircase forthe muezzinsor criers to

climb toannounce thebeginning ofthe prayersession.

minaret

minaret

ldi
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/stairs.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/stairs.htm


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molding general term for

all the

decorativeoutlines,contours,cavities, andprojections on

cornices, bases,door andwindowjambsand continuousdesigns around

a building.Moldings can bewood, stone,plaster, stucco,or plastic.

molding
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/base.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/jamb.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/jamb.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/base.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.html


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*mosaic designs made from

small square pieces of

glass or stone. TheRomans used them forfloors. In theRomanesque andByzantine periods

designers used themextensively for interiordesigns on churches,and designers in the20th century used

them for publicbuildings and schools.

mosaic
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Roman.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/romanesqueall.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/romanesqueall.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Roman.htm


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mullions large vertical or

radiating

members thatseparatethelights in awindow.Mullionsreinforce the

design of thebuilding andare oftenembellished.

The smaller

members thatseparate eachpane of glassare themuntins.


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nave central aisle of a

church where

thecongregationassembles. Inlarger buildingsthis is flankedby two side

aisles andsometimeschapels. InEurope the naveis almost always

west of the choir(the part of thechurch wherethe services areperformed).


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niche recess in a wall for a

statue or ornament.A niche is usuallysemicircular in theback with a half-dome on the top.

Depending on thestyle of building, theniche can have apediment above itor have decorative

molding. A nichecan also be atabernacle.

* pedestal= base of

statue

niche niche

pedestal

parapet
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/pediment.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/molding.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/molding.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/pediment.html


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parapet originally this

was a wall used

to protect theramparts ofmilitarystructures. Nowit is a low railingor wall along the

perimeter of aroofor along theedge of a bridge,balcony, orraised platform.These are oftendecorative and

extend the wallabove theroofline.

parapet

parapet

pediment


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pediment gable end and

entrance of atemple, or a low

gable over awindow or doorin Classicalarchitecture. Thepediment isgenerally ,but notalways,

triangular. Thepedimentgenerally has acornice on thebottom andraking corniceson the slantingsides.

The inside of thetriangle is calledthe

tympanum.

pediment

pediment tympanum

pilaster
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.html


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pilaster squared column

or pillar used tohelp supportthestructure. Thepilaster oftenhas a base and acapital. InGreek

architecture thepilaster is thesame size at thetop and bottom,in Roman thepilaster isdiminished atthe top. Oftenthese aredecorative.

pilaster

pilaster

frieze

portico
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/column.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/base.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/capital.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Greek.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Roman.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/pilasterdundurn500.jpghttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Roman.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Greek.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/capital.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/base.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/column.html


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portico an

elaborate

or at leastcoveredporch areaadjacent toa main

entrance,generally in aclassicalbuilding. Thisfunctions as ameans to protect

visitors from theelements as well asemphasizing thetaste and wealth ofthe owner.

* balustrade

portico

portico

balustrade

t


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rampartold citywalls builtto protecttheinhabitantsfrom attack.They can be builtof stone, brick,wood, or bakedclay and canhave round orsquare towers at

intervals thatserve asbarracks,granaries, orarsenals

rampart

* li f
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/tower.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/tower.htm


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*relief sculpted frieze

or band wherethe forms or

designs

project from

the flat base.A bas relief is

a sculpture

that projects

from the base.

See also

molding.

relief

roundel
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/frieze.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/band.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/molding.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/molding.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/band.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/frieze.html


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roundelsmallcirculardecorativeplate usedextensivelyinRenaissan

cecourtyardsandarcades. Aroundel

window isa small,ornate,circularwindow.

roundel

roundel

shingles
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/arcade.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/arcade.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Renaissance.htm


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shingles thin tiles,

usually

rectangular,that are laidin overlappingrows toprovide the

final finish forwalls androofs. Shinglescan be madeof wood, cedar

in particular,known asshakes, orstone.

shingles

shingles

i


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spire also

called asteeple,this is theuppermost

portion ofa toweror roof

thattapers toa point atthe top.

spire

spire

stained


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stainedglass

in the Gothicperiod,

stained glasswas used inthe windowsof churchesand later

houses as anilluminatingdecorativeelement. Theglass is colored byan infusion of

metallic oxide orby burningpigment into thesurface. Themetal holding theglass in place iscalled the muntin.

stained glass

stained glass

turret
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/gothic.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/muntin.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/muntin.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/gothic.htm


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turret small tower

thatprojectsfrom thewall of abuilding,

usually amedievalcastle. Thiscan also be an

ornamentalstructural atan angle of alargerstructure.

turret

tympanum


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tympanum

The areabetween an arch

and the top of adoorway or thearea under theraking cornicesof a pediment,above thecornice. In

Greekarchitecturethese carriedscenes of Greekheroism, inChristian, it isstories from thebible.

vault
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/arch.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/doorway.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/pediment.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Greek.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Greek.htmhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/pediment.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornice.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/doorway.htmlhttp://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/arch.html


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vault arched

ceiling overa room or asmall roomoften withan arched

ceiling thatis in anunderground section ofthe property

andhousesthe wine orotherpreserves.

vault

vault


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*allegory


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g y

Astory illustrating an idea or a moral principle in which

objects take on symbolic meanings. A narrative technique in

which characters representing things orabstract ideas areused to convey a message or teach a lesson. Allegory is

typically used to teach moral, ethical, or religious lessons

but is sometimes used for satiric or political purposes.

allusion

An (indirect) reference in one literary work to a character or

theme found in another literary work. A reference to a familiar

literary or historical person or event, used to make an idea more easilyunderstood.

For example, describing someone as a "Romeo" makes an allusion to

William Shakespeare's famous young lover inRomeo and Juliet.

anecdote
http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/glossary_no.htmhttp://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/glossary_bc.htmhttp://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/index.htmhttp://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/index.htmhttp://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/glossary_bc.htmhttp://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/glossary_no.htm


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A very short tale told by a character in a literary work. In Chaucer's"Canterbury Tales," "The Miller's Tale" and "The Carpenter's Tale"are examples.

antagonist A person or force which opposes the protagonist in a literary work. In

Stephen Vincent Benet's "The Devil and Daniel Webster," Mr. Scratchis Daniel Webster's antagonist at the trial of Jabez Stone. The cold, inJack London's "To Build a Fire" is the antagonist which defeats the

man on the trail.Seeprotagonist for more information.

aphorism A brief statement which expresses an observation on life, usually

intended as a wise observation. Benjamin Franklin's "Poor Richard'sAlmanac" contains numerous examples, one of which isDrive thybusiness; let it not drive thee, which means that one should not allowthe demands of business to take control of one's moral or worldlycommitments.

*ballad
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/2terms.htmlhttp://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/2terms.htmlhttp://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/2terms.htmlhttp://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/2terms.html


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ballad A story in poetic form, often about tragic love and usually sung.

Ballads were passed down from generation to generation by singers.

Two old Scottish ballads are "Sir Patrick Spens" and "Bonnie BarbaraAllan." Coleridges, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is a 19th

century English ballad.

cacophony / euphony Cacophony is an unpleasant combination of sounds. Euphony, theopposite, is a pleasant combination of sounds. These sound effects can

be used intentionally to create an effect, or they may appear

unintentionally. The cacophony in Matthew Arnold's lines "And thou,

who didst the stars and sunbeams know,/Self-school'd, self-scann'd,

self-honor'd, self-secure,/Didst tread on earth unguess'd at," is

probably unintentional.


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climax

The decisive moment in a drama, the climax is the turning

point of the play to which the rising action leads. This is the

crucial part of the drama, the part which determines the

outcome of the conflict. In Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar"

the climax occurs at the end of Marc Antony's speech to theRoman public. In the climax to the film "Star Wars," the

empire's death star is ready to destroy the rebel base. Luke

Skywalker and rebel pilots attack the base, and after the

deaths of some rebel pilots, Skywalker successfully fires hismissile into the death star's vulnerable spot and destroys the

death star, saving the rebel forces.


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couplet A stanza of two lines, usually rhyming. The following by Andrew Marvell is an

example of a rhymed couplet:

Had we but world enough and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. *elegy A lyric poem lamenting death. These lines from Joachim Du Bellay's "Elegy on His

Cat" are an example:

I have not lost my rings, my purse, My gold, my gems-my loss is worse, One that

the stoutest heart must move. My pet, my joy, my little love, My tiny kitten, myBelaud, I lost, alas, three days ago.

epic In literature generally, a major work dealing with an important theme. "Gone with

the Wind," a film set in the antebellum (pre-Civil War) and Civil War South, is

considered an epic motion picture. In poetry, a long work dealing with the actions ofgods and heroes. John Milton's "Paradise Lost"is a book length epic poemconsisting of twelve subdivisions called books. Homer's "The Iliad" and "TheOdyssey" are epic poems, the former concerning the Greek invasion of Troy; thelatter dealing with the Greek victory over the Trojans and the ten-year journey ofOdysseus to reach his island home.

epigraph

A b i f i hi h h b i i f li k


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A brief quotation which appears at the beginning of a literary work.The following is the epigraph from T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock. Quoted from Dante Alighieri's epic poem "The

Inferno," the speaker, Guido di Montefeltrano, believing Dante to beanother soul condemned to Hell, replies thus to a question:

If I believed my answer were being given to someone who could everreturn to the world, this flame (his voice is represented by a movingflame) would shake no more. But since no one has ever returned>alive

from this depth, if what I hear is true, I will answer you without fearof infamy. The epigraph here reveals one of the themes of the poem,Prufrocks urgent desire not to be revealed.

epithet

In literature, a word of phrase preceding or following a name whichserves to describe the character. Consider the following from Book 1of Homer's "The Iliad:"

Zeus-loved Achilles, you bid me explainThe wrath offar-smiting Apollo.

euphemism


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A mild word of phrase which substitutes for another whichwould be undesirable because it is too direct, unpleasant, oroffensive. The word "joint" is a euphemism for the word

prison. "W. C." is a euphemism for bathroom.

exposition

In drama, the presentation of essential information

regarding what has occurred prior to the beginning of theplay. In the exposition to William Shakespeare's "Romeoand Juliet," two servants of the house of Capulet discuss thefeud between their master and the house of Montague,thereby letting the audience know that such a feud existsand that it will play an important role in influencing the

plot.

fable


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A brief tale designed to illustrate a moral lesson. Often the characters are

animals as in the fables of Aesop

farce A type of comedy based on a humorous situation such as a bank robber who

mistakenly wanders into a police station to hide. It is the situation here which

provides the humor, not the cleverness of plot or lines, nor the absurdities of the

character, as in situational comedy. Eugene Ionesco's "Les Chaises" (The

Chairs), a one-act drama in which two old people, isolated on an island prepare

for visitors, is an example. The visitors are invisible, but the stage fills withchairs to accommodate them. In the end, a deaf-mute narrator "addresses" the

couple

foil

A character in a play who sets off the main character or other characters bycomparison. In Shakespeare's "Hamlet" Hamlet and Laertes are young men who

behave very differently. While Hamlet delays in carrying out his mission to

avenge the death of his father, Laertes is quick and bold in his challenge of the

king over the death of his father. Much can be learned about each by comparing

and contrasting the actions of the two.

*hyperbole A figure of speech in which an overstatement or exaggeration


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A figure of speech in which an overstatement or exaggerationoccurs as in the following lines from Act 2, scene 2 of Shakespeare's"Macbeth." In this scene, Macbeth has murdered King Duncan. Horrified at the

blood on his hands, he asks: Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood

Clean from my hand? No. This my hand will rather The multitudinous seasincarnadine, Making the green one red. Literally, it does not require an ocean towash blood from one's hand. Nor can the blood on one's hand turn the greenocean red. The hyperbole works to illustrate the guilt Macbeth feels at the brutalmurder of his king and kinsman.Understatement is the opposite of hyperbole.

metaphor A figure of speech wherein a comparison is made between two

unlike quantities without the use of the words "like" or "as."Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of anAngry God," has this to say about the moral condition of his

parishioners: There are the black clouds of God's wrath nowhanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm and bigwith thunder; The comparison here is between God's anger and astorm. Note that there is no use of "like" or "as" as would be thecase in a simile

*ode

A i i f hi di i i bl id I ' "Od
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/3terms.htmlhttp://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/terms/3terms.html


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A poem in praise of something divine or expressing some noble idea. In' "Ode

on a Grecian Urn," English poet John Keats expresses his appreciation of the

beauty and agelessness of a work by a Grecian artisan: Thou still unravished

bride of quietness, Thou foster child of silence and slow time, Sylvan historian

who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:

parable

A brief story, told or written in order to teach a moral lesson. Christ's tale of the

Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-7) is an example.

paradox

A situation or a statement that seems to contradict itself, but on closer

inspection, does not. These lines from John Donne's "Holy Sonnet 14" provide

an example: That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, The poet paradoxically

asks God to knock him down so that he may stand. What he means by this is for

God to destroy his present self and remake him as a holier person.

pastoral

A literary work that has to do with shephards and rustic settings. Christopher

Marlowe's "The Passionate Shephard to His Love" and Robert Burns' "Sweet

Afton" are examples

protagonist


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The hero or central character of a literary work. In accomplishing his or her

objective, the protagonist is hindered by some opposing force either human (one

of Batman's antagonists is The Joker), animal (Moby Dick is Captain Ahab's

antagonist in Herman Melville's "Moby Dick"), or natural (the sea is theantagonist which must be overcome by Captain Bligh in Nordhoff and Hall's

"Men Against the Sea," the second book in the trilogy which includes "Mutiny

on the Bounty").

antagonist is the person or force which opposes the protagonist in

a literary work

romance In the Middle Ages, tales of exciting adventures written in the vernacular

(French) instead of Latin. The medieval romances were tales of chivalry or

amorous adventure occurring in King Arthur's court. "Sir Gawain and the GreenKnight" is an example of a medieval romance

saga


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A story of the exploits of a hero, or the story of a family told through several

generations. Stories of the exploits of Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett are sagas

in the former sense. Alex Haley's "Roots" would be considered a saga in the

latter sense.satire A piece of literature designed to ridicule the subject of the work. While satire can be

funny, its aim is not to amuse, but to arouse contempt. Jonathan swift's "Gulliver's

Travels" satirizes the English people, making them seem dwarfish in their ability to deal

with large thoughts, issues, or deeds

sonnet A lyric poem of fourteen lines .

stanza

A major subdivision in a poem. A stanza of two lines is called a couplet; astanza of three lines is called a tercet; a stanza of four lines is called a quatrain

simile


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simile A figure of speech which takes the form of a comparison between two unlike quantities

for which a basis for comparison can be found, and which uses the words "like" or "as" inthe comparison, as in this line from Ezra Pound's "Fan-Piece, for Her Imperial Lord:"clear as frost on the grass-bade. In this line, a fan of white silk is being compared to

frost on a blade of grass. Note the use of the word "as."See Metaphor.

soliloquy In drama, a moment when a character is alone and speaks his or her thoughts aloud. In

the line "To be, or not to be, that is the question:"which begins the famous soliloquy

from Act 3, scene 1 of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" Hamlet questions whether or not life isworth living, and speaks of the reasons why he does not end his life.

sonnet A lyric poem of fourteen lines whose rhyme scheme is fixed.

understatement A statement which lessens or minimizes the importance of what is meant. Forexample, if one were in a desert where the temperature was 125 degrees, and ifone wee to describe thermal conditions saying "It's a little warm today." thatwould be an understatement. The opposite is hyperbole.
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Technical & Specialized Words 2