Literary Terms to Know for Homer’s Odyssey

1. Literary Terms to Know for Homer’s Odyssey Geller’s Fabulous Freshmen Fall 2013

2. Epic Simile • A comparison using “like” or “as” that extends for several lines: “The attackers struck like eagles, crook-clawed, hook-beaked, swooping down from a mountain ridge to harry smaller birds that skim across the flatland cringing under the clouds but the eagles plunge in fury, rip their lives out--hopeless, never a chance of flight or rescue--and people love the sport-- so the attackers routed suitors headlong down the hall, wheeling into the slaughter, slashing left and right and grisly screams broke from skulls cracked open-- the whole floor awash with blood."

3. Epic • A long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero • Examples: • Iliad • Odyssey • Aeneid

4. Character • The people in a work of literature • Protagonist: Hero/main character • Antagonist: Character or force that opposes the protagonist • Static character: Does not change • Dynamic character: Undergoes a significant change

5. Irony • Irony exists when the reader’s expectation contrasts with reality. • Verbal irony: Saying one thing but meaning another. Similar to sarcasm; “oh, wonderful!” in response to a lengthy homework assignment • Situational irony: Outcome is surprisingly different than expected. Ex. A tough traffic cop gets his license suspended for unpaid speeding tickets. • Dramatic irony: The audience knows something the reader doesn’t. Ex. EVERY HORROR MOVIE EVER MADE. (We know the killer is upstairs, etc.)

6. Foreshadowing • A literary strategy that provides a hint of what is going to happen: • Ex. A character in a movie develops a cough; invariably, the character turns out to be dying. • Dark clouds and a rumble of thunder suggest something ominous is afoot.

7. Repetition • A word or phrase is repeated for poetic effect or to reinforce a theme; repetition is a common characteristic of oral poetry. • “Rosy-fingered dawn” • “The wine-dark sea”

8. Personification • Giving human characteristics to something that is not human: • “The wind screamed through the trees” • “The sea swallowed the ship” • “The angry sound of metal meeting asphalt”

9. Imagery • Language that appeals to the senses: • The feel of wet sand between your toes • The blazing orange sun sinking on the horizon • The smell of burning leaves and pumpkin pie

10. Conflict • The central problem in a story • Internal: Person vs. himself • External: • Person vs. person • Person vs. nature • Person vs. society

11. Tone • The author’s attitude toward the subject, characters, or situation • Can be formal or conversational • Sarcastic, sympathetic, etc.

12. Metaphor • A comparison between two unlike things, NOT using “like” or “as” • “Fated to escape the noose of pain” • “We wove a web of disaster” • “The monster’s rage boiled over”

13. Simile • A comparison using “like,” “as,” “than,” or “resembles” • “Her mind is as sharp as a razor” • “This class is like an insane asylum” • “His eyes resembled the sea on a cloudy day” • “His thoughts drifted higher than the treetops”

14. Climax • The high point or turning point in the action of a story

15. Diction • Word choice. • One of the most compelling arguments to suggest that the Iliad and the Odyssey have different authors is that their diction is so different.

16. Rhythm/Meter • The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.

17. Allusion • An implied or indirect reference in literature, usually to something familiar to the reader from history, literature, mythology, the Bible, etc.

18. Symbol • An image or character used to represent something else: • Dove=peace • Setting sun=death • Rain=sadness

19. Hyperbole • Exaggeration for dramatic effect: • “I am starving to death!” • “You are the most ridiculous person in the whole world.”