Wayman Wilson

British Literature
2014-2015
Handbook of Literary Terms

Term

Definition

Example/Textual Evidence

Abridge(ment)

To make an adaptation of it as an audio

book or a television show, to make a more
convenient companion to an already
established work, or to create a shorter
reference version.

Abridged

To shorten a novel to record it as an audio

book.

Abstract

Brief summary of a research article,

thesis, review, conference proceeding or
any in-depth analysis of a particular
subject or discipline, and is often used to
help the reader quickly ascertain the
paper's purpose.

Act

they urged Washington to act

Advocacy

their advocacy of traditional family

values

Aesthetic

"the pictures give great aesthetic

pleasure"

Allegory

"Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the

spiritual journey"

Alliteration

a stylistic device in which a number of

words, having the same first consonant
sound, occur close together in a series.

Allusion

"an allusion to Shakespeare"

Analysis

"statistical analysis"

Anaphora

I like it and so do they.

Term

Definition

Example/Textual Evidence

Angle

A member of a Germanic people that migrated to

England from southern Jutland in the 5th century
ad, founded the kingdoms of North Umbria, East
Anglia, and Mercia, and together with the Jutes and
Saxons formed the Anglo-Saxon peoples.

Anglo-Saxon

Old English literature

Annotation

To include definitions for archaic terms in

the Bible.

Antagonist

Iago is the antagonist of Othello.

Antithesis

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

Argument

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of

my own life, or whether that station will
be held by anybody else, these pages
must show.

Article

"The penalty for laughing in a courtroom

is six months in jail; if it were not for this
penalty, the jury would never hear the
evidence."

Assonance

Men sell the wedding bells.

Audience

"In short, knowing your audience

increases your ability to accomplish your
purpose for writing."

Aural/auditory

That rings a bell.

It's coming through loud and clear.
Tune in to what I'm saying
Clear as a bell.
That's music to my ears.

Authors purpose

Stories
Poems
Dramas
Songs

Term

Definition

Example/Textual Evidence

Autobiography

"An autobiography is an obituary in serial

form with the last installment missing."

Ballad

O I forbid you, maiden all,

That wears gold in your hair,
To come or go by Carterhaugh
For young Tam Lin is there.

Bias

Age
Belief system
Disability
Ethnicity
Gender/gender identity
Marital status

Biography

"Biographies are but the clothes and

buttons of the man. The biography of the
man himself cannot be written."