| Allusion | An indirect reference to another literary work or to a famous person, place, or event. |
| Aside | A brief remark meant to be heard by the audience or one other character, but not the others |
| Comic Relief | A humorous scene, incident, or speech that is included in a serious drama to break the tension |
| Dramatic Irony | Where the reader or audience knows something the characters don’t know |
| Foil | A character who provides a striking contrast to another character; traits are enhanced by the contrast |
| Foreshadowing | A writer’s use of hints or clues to indicate events that will happen later in the plot |
| Iambic Pentameter | A metrical line of 5 “feet”, or units, each of which is made up of two syllables, the first unstressed and the second stressed |
| Metaphor | A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two things that are seeming unlike, but have something in common; often uses “is” |
| Monologue | an emotional speech in which a speaker addresses another person (silent or absent listener) |
| Personification | A figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to an object, animal, or idea |
| Soliloquy | A speech in which a character speaks thoughts aloud. Generally the character is alone on stage, not addressing anyone in particular |
| “If we can do this, Cupid is no longer an archer; his glory shall be ours” Which literary term? | allusion |
| “The flat transgression of a schoolboy who, being overjoyed with finding a birds nest, shows it his companion and he steals it.” Which literary term? | metaphor |
| “Is it possible disdain should die when she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?” Which literary term? | personification |
| “She would have made Hercules have turned spit.” Which literary term? | allusion |
| “I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace.” Which literary term? | metaphor |
| “Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes.” Which literary term? | personification |
| “Oh, that I had been writ down an ass!” (Dogberry) Which literary term? | comic relief |
| “This can be no trick, the conference was sadly born…” Benedick is standing alone in the orchard, saying his thoughts about Beatrice aloud. Which literary term? | soliloquy |
| “Wherefore? Why doth every earthly thing cry shame upon her?…” Leonato is speaking his thoughts about Hero to Beatrice, Benedick, and the Friar. Which literary term? | monologue |
Much Ado Literary Terms
July 18, 2019