Terms Related to Poetry - Figures of Speech
figurative language –
language that is used to mean some other or something more than it says; language that is used in a non-literal way
figures of speech –
various ways speech is used figuratively
simile –
a comparison using the word like or as
metaphor –
a direct comparison or equivalence
extended simile –
comparison using the word like or as which is repeated in the poem; more commonly used in an epic poem where the same comparison is used throughout
extended metaphor –
direct comparison which is repeated in the poem; more commonly used in an epic poem where the same comparison is used throughout
personification –
attributing human qualities to a non-human or non-living object
hyperbole –
saying more than what is meant; exaggeration
understatement –
saying less than what is meant
metonymy –
referring to one thing by something else it is associated with: the crown to refer to the king
synecdoche –
use of a part of a person to object to refer to the person or the object: the hand that rocked the cradle to refer to the person rocking the cradle
apostrophe –
where the speaker speaks to a dead or non-present person
allusion–
a reference to an historical event, aspect of culture, character or content in a piece of literature, or other widely known type of information to convey a feeling, idea, or image; serves to convey information using few words
