Glossary of Literary Terms 文学术语词汇表.doc

? Glossary of Literary Terms 文学术语词汇表The definitions given below are not meant to be exhaustive. Indeed, whole books have been written to explain some of these terms, such as archetype , hero, realism, and symbolism. These notes are meant to provide basic definitions of frequently used literary terms; I hope these definitions will establish common ground for book discussions. Most of the examples given are works reviewed on this Web site.??/glossary.html? ?-A-: allegory In literature, an extended metaphor in which characters, objects, incidents, and descriptions carry one or more sets of fully developed meanings in addition to the apparent and literal ones. John Bunyans Pilgrims Progress , for example, is apparently about a man named Christian who leaves his home and journeys to the Heavenly City. However, it is clear that Christian stands for any Christian man and that the incidents of his journey represent the temptations and trials that beset any Christian man throughout his life on earth (Source /glossary.html : Benets, 26). alternative history牋?alternate term: alternate history揂 species of fiction - also called allohistory - in which much depends on some major reversal of known geography or history?( Source unya/glossary.html : Harmon Holman, 15). Examples: novels in which Germany won World War II.antagonist See protagonist /glossary.html .anticlimaxAn arrangement of details such that the lesser appears at the point where something greater is expected (Source /glossary.html : Harmon Holman, 246). The term may also refer to a resolution that does not deserve all the build-up it has received. Also see: climax /glossary.html .antiheroA protagonist who lacks traditional heroic virtues and noble qualities and is sometimes inept, cowardly, stupid, or dishonest, yet sensitive (Source /glossary.html : Benets, 40). A protagonist of a modern play or novel who has the converse of most of the traditional attributes of the hero. This hero is graceless, i