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Pandora's Box - Literary Terms
Practice quiz to learn the literary terms pulled out of Pandora's infamous Box.đź
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Last updated: October 10, 2025
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| First submitted | September 12, 2025 |
| Times taken | 13 |
| Average score | 37.5% | Report this quiz | Report |
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1. The perspective from which a narrative is told.
tone
personification
point of view
mood
2. A work that mocks another text by closely modeling its style and content.
parody
poem
rhyme
sonnet
3. A poetic blending of sensory images.
prose
verse
antithesis
synesthesia
4. A more developed, complex character.
dynamic
flat
stock
round
5. Part of a narrative during which characters, setting, and initial action are explained. A good bulk of a storyâs exposition takes place near the beginning.
narrative
iamb
exposition
sarcasm
6. A reference to something appearing elsewhere in history, culture, or literature.
allusion
enjambment
connotation
archetype
7. A character who possesses a flaw or commits an error in judgment that leads to his or her downfall and a reversal of fortune.
protagonist
tragic hero
character
antihero
8. Appears within one line of poetry.
rhyme scheme
internal rhyme
end rhyme
slant rhyme
9. An address to something as if it were human, or an address to someone not present.
apostrophe
verse
rhythm
synesthesia
10. Stylistic approach in a literary work whereby the textâs lack of clarity allows for multiple, even conflicting interpretations.
cadence
ambiguity
flashback
ballad
11. A protagonist with villainous qualities who nevertheless can be relatively sympathetic in a narrative.
antihero
elegy
farce
ode
12. The protagonist of a narrative.
hero/heroine
antihero
antagonist
hubris
13. A short, witty statement designed to surprise and audience or a reader.
metaphysical conceit
pun
stanza
epigram
14. The emotional atmosphere of a work, especially the emotional undercurrents of a setting.
setting
mood
rhythm
prose
15. The pattern of rhyme occurring in a poem, usually listed as a sequence of alphabetical letters (e.g. ABABCDCDEFEFGG) in which like letters indicate end rhyme.
end rhyme
slant rhyme
internal rhyme
rhyme scheme
16. A pause in the middle of a line of poetry.
euphemism
denotation
caesura
consonance
17. A line, lines, or a stanza in a poem that repeat(s) at intervals.
refrain
theme
speaker
synecdoche
18. A work of prose or poetry intended for performance on a stage.
play
stanza
ode
point of view
19. A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds or words.
stream of consciousness
parody
setting
onomatopoeia
20. Latin for âin the middle of things.â
metaphor
inversion
in medias res
stanza
21. The written depiction of conversation between characters.
diction
novella
dialogue
hubris
22. Any literary work that is not poetry, but is written in sentences and paragraphs.
verse
ode
novella
prose
23. The time and place of a narrative.
atmosphere
setting
tone
mood
24. A brief, symbolic story whose purpose is to instruct.
parable
rising action
speaker
symbol
25. An agent committing action in a narrative, usually human, but not necessarily so.
protagonist
foil
character
antagonist
26. A plot device in which the author places the main narrative of his or her work within another narrative
he got framed
narrative frame
frame frame
picture frame
27. Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.
figurative language
in medias res
parody
meter
28. Long section of an epic poem.
canto
epiphany
iamb
catharsis
29. A six-line stanza.
sestet
tercet
couplet
octet
30. Dialogue or narration written to simulate regional or cultural speech patterns.
dialect
genre
diction
metonymy
31. A type of flat character based on a stereotype; one who falls into an immediately recognizable category or type â such as the absentminded professor or the town drunk â and thus resists unique characterization.
static
stock
flat
round
32. A play in which a temporarily unstable situation is restored to order by the end.
flashback
comedy
consonance
epigraph
33. An extended metaphor continuing from an initial comparison.
wordplay
understatement
conceit
tercet
34. Also called ânear rhyme,â words at the ends of poem lines that almost but donât quite rhyme. Not necessarily a weakness in the poem.
rhyme scheme
slant rhyme
internal rhyme
end rhyme
35. Absurd type of comedy that involves flat characters, slapstick action, and ridiculous misunderstandings.
farce
hyperbole
metonymy
flashback
36. A seemingly self-contradictory term or phrase.
oxymoron
paradox
rhythm
parallelism
37. An eight-line stanza.
sestet
tercet
quatrain
octet
38. The major category in which a literary work fits.
rhythm
hero
genre
narrative
39. A metric distinguished by the number of syllables it contains and how stress is placed on the syllables â stressed (ÂŽ) or unstressed (Ë).
ode
lyric
foot
inversion
40. Poetry with no rhyme or set meter.
parody
free verse
mock epic
genre
41. From the Greek for âgood speech,â this is a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts.
lyric
prose
metaphor
euphemism
42. Placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast
metaphysical conceit
metaphor
juxtaposition
novella
43. An object, setting, event, or flat character that represents an idea.
symbol
metaphor
simile
oxymoron
44. Usually, the repetition of final sounds in words at set intervals.
rhythm
stage directions
rhyme
structure
45. A resemblance drawn between two items.
catharsis
epigram
foreshadowing
analogy
46. A satiric dramatic form that lampoons social conventions; the highest level of comedy.
consonance
metaphysical conceit
comedy of manners
euphemism
47. Exaggeration for effect.
irony
hyperbole
pun
figurative language
48. Refers to the defining structural characteristics of a work, especially a poem.
form
metonymy
novella
rhythm
49. Comic work in which the foibles of society are addressed and mocked.
satire
setting
irony
figurative language
50. A narrative that, even in retrospect, symbolically predicted something in the narrativeâs future.
irony
form
foreshadowing
monologue
51. A short narrative scene or description, often one in a series.
stanza
ode
couplet
vignette
52. A literary device that sets up a striking analogy between two entities that would not usually invite comparison, often drawing connections between the physical and spiritual.
personification
monologue
reversal
metaphysical conceit
53. Appears at the end of a line of poetry, the most common type of rhyme.
end rhyme
slant rhyme
internal rhyme
rhyme scheme
54. The character who is currently delivering lines.
point of view
speaker
protagonist
perspective
55. A device used to produce figurative language.
pun
hyperbole
figure of speech
flashback
56. Unrhymed iambic pentameter verse â formal, but still conversational.
eulogy
blank verse
comedy
metonymy
57. A direct comparison of two unlike things.
poem
metaphor
parallelism
satire
58. A sung poem that recounted a dramatic story.
caesura
canto
ballad
farce
59. The repetition of a vowel sound in a sentence or line of poetry.
assonance
foot
cadence
anaphora
60. A characterâs transformative moment of realization.
parallelism
epiphany
euphemism
onomatopoeia
61. The personality defect that leads the hero in a play to make an error in judgment.
novella
satire
prose
tragic flaw
62. The narratorâs attitude toward her subject.
mood
atmosphere
tone
setting
63. A seemingly self-contradictory statement that upon closer scrutiny actually reveals a truth.
oxymoron
parallelism
rhyme
paradox
64. A serious dramatic work in which the protagonist experiences a series of unfortunate reversals due to some character trait.
oxymoron
comedy
octet
tragedy
65. In a poem, two consecutive rhyming lines.
couplet
iambic pentameter
spondee
dialogue
66. Occurs when someone means the opposite of what she says.
situational irony
verbal irony
irony irony
dramatic irony
67. A story within a story.
ode
juxtaposition
frame narrative
metaphor
68. A three-line stanza.
octet
tercet
sestet
quatrain
69. Speech delivered by a character in a play, usually with other characters present.
speaker
monologue
slant rhyme
point of view
70. Divides its discussion between an octave and a sestet.
italian sonnet
the evil sonnet
the good sonnet
english sonnet
71. A recurring pattern of images and symbols.
octet
protagonist
motif
stream of consciousness
72. From the Greek meaning âto tear flesh," involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.
sarcasm
ode
irony
oxymoron
73. A poetic closed form devised during the early renaissance by the Italian writer Petrarch.
rhyme
sonnet
ode
rhythm
74. The implied, rather than direct meaning of a word.
free verse
lyric
metaphor
connotation
75. A metaphor that continues over several lines or throughout an entire literary work.
extended metaphor
super long metaphor
metaphor metaphor
super short metaphor
76. Techniques by which writers manipulate language for effect.
metaphor
pun
understatement
wordplay
77. When, in a narrative, the protagonistâs fortunes take an unforeseen turn.
rhyme
reversal
stage directions
theme
78. A figure of speech in which something is represented by another thing that is related to it.
narrative
persona
metonymy
rhyme
79. Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases or clauses.
oxymoron
paradox
poem
parallelism
80. Narrative in which the characters, setting, and events are all symbolic.
bildungsroman
allegory
simile
analogy
81. The organization of a work.
poem
form
setting
structure
82. The instilling of human characteristics in something nonhuman.
stanza
personification
short story
point of view
83. Quality of spoken text formed from combing the textâs rhythm with the rise and fall in the inflection of the speakerâs voice.
caricature
cadence
meter
flashback
84. Common tragic flaw of protagonists.
mood
quatrain
hyperbole
hubris
85. Imagery in which the part stands for the whole or vice versa.
synecdoche
structure
stanza
symbol
86. The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the authorâs choice of objects that are described.
colloquialism
form
atmosphere
eulogy
87. The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.
refrain
narrative
sestet
novella
88. Divides its discussion among three quatrains and a final couplet.
italian sonnet
the evil sonnet
english sonnet
the good sonnet
89. Long narrative poem, usually featuring a larger-than-life hero who takes a journey during which he receives divine intervention.
epic poem
play
metaphor
metonymy
90. The most common metrical foot in English poetry.
monologue
paradox
irony
iamb
91. The audienceâs release of pity and fear once the tragic hero of a play has experienced a downfall.
catharsis
foreshadowing
epiphany
metonymy
92. Occurs when the audience knows something that a character doesnât.
dramatic irony
irony irony
verbal irony
situational irony
93. A word that has the opposite meaning of another.
denouement
dialect
antonym
figurative language
94. A novel that explores the maturation of the protagonist, with the narrative usually moving the main character from childhood into adulthood.
enjambment
frame narrative
bildungsroman
couplet
95. Appears after the exposition of a narrative. In this part of a story, complications begin to arise for the characters.
rising action
falling action
exposition
climax
96. The presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.
understatement
hyperbole
metaphor
pun
97. The opponent of a narrativeâs protagonist or hero.
foil
persona
caesura
antagonist
98. A line of poetry that continues its sentence into the next line without a break.
ode
enjambment
in medias res
short story
99. An expression or language construction appropriate only for casual, informal speaking or writing.
comedy of manners
climax
colloquialism
epigram
100. A device in which the initial sound of a word is repeated at least twice in a line of poetry or in a sentence.
anaphora
alliteration
conceit
diction
101. Lines in a poem that the poet has chosen to group together, usually separated from other lines by a space.
ode
couplet
sestet
stanza
102. A poem, speech, or other work written in great praise of something or someone, usually a person no longer living.
eulogy
lyric
free verse
juxtaposition
103. A work written in verse rather than prose.
ode
poem
stanza
erse
104. A quotation preceding a work of literature that helps set the textâs mood or suggests its themes.
epigraph
free verse
parable
oxymoron
105. An unexpected but fitting twist in a narrative.
play
irony
oxymoron
motif
106. A play on words that derives its humor from the replacement of one word with another that has similar pronunciation or spelling but a different meaning.
speaker
rhyme
pun
refrain
107. Occurs when events in a story take an unexpected turn, but one can still understand how the events could have happened.
situational irony
verbal irony
dramatic irony
irony irony
108. A broad term, refers to a piece of writing that is metered and rhythmic.
stanza
ode
verse
free verse
109. The repetition of a word or phrase for rhetorical effect.
anaphora
prose
inversion
assonance
110. A relatively brief novel, usually not exceeding 200 pages.
parable
ode
poem
novella
111. Part of a narrative that moves from the climax to the denouement
metonymy
onomatopoeia
ode
falling action
112. In a narrative, the point of irreversible action, when what is done cannot be undone.
epigram
farce
genre
climax
113. A clever, brief observation about some aspect of life, also called a maxim or a saying.
aphorism
structure
imagery
dissonance
114. A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subjectâs distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect.
hyperbole
motif
caricature
parable
115. The most common meter in English poetry; has roughly ten syllables with the accents on even syllables.
imagery
refrain
iambic pentameter
parable
116. The formal, regular organization of stressed and unstressed syllables, measured in feet.
form
form
monologue
meter
117. An indirect comparison between two unlike things.
oxymoron
juxtaposition
metaphor
simile
118. The universal truth, observation about life, or main idea of a literary work.
tone
mood
structure
theme
119. The literal definition of a word, often referred to as the âdictionary definition.â
hyperbole
denotation
monologue
iamb
120. Explain how the stage is set, where and when the actors should move, and, occasionally, in what manner the actors should deliver their lines.
stage directions
mood
setting
ode
121. It is created by alteration of the standard English word order of a subject being followed by a verb and its object in a declarative sentence.
inversion
satire
octet
quatrain
122. Statement in which two opposites are paired to make a point.
antithesis
dialogue
irony
farce
123. A voice and viewpoint that an author adopts in order to deliver a story or poem.
tone
mood
persona
point of view
124. A poem of praise and dedication.
ode
reversal
parable
simile
125. The central character of a literary work.
antihero
protagonist
antagonist
hero
126. Experiences a change in personality, attitude, or behavior during the course of the narrative.
static
dynamic
flat
stock
127. A contemplative poem, on death and mortality, often written for someone who has died.
elegy
inversion
eulegy
mock epic
128. Underdeveloped character, one-dimensional and predictable.
dynamic
flat
round
stock
129. A description of how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, or sounds.
imagery
lyric
figurative language
metaphor
130. Poem in which a character speaks as if delivering a soliloquy.
metaphor
iamb
dramatic monologue
enjambment
131. A contrasting character who allows the protagonist to stand out more distinctly.
juxtaposition
antihero
foil
antagonist
132. The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.
antecedent
cadence
elegy
antithesis
133. Type of narration that mimics the mindâs free flow of thought.
stream of consciousness
stanza
parody
point of view
134. Harsh, unpleasant sounds, especially in poetry.
dramatic monologue
dissonance
foreshadowing
iambic pentameter
135. Satirical work that parodies the form of the epic poem.
poem
mock epic
mood
parody
136. Character that remains the same throughout a work.
dynamic
flat
static
stock
137. Narrative scene in which action previously unrevealed takes place.
persona
inversion
free verse
flashback
138. French for âunknotting,â this final segment of a narrative follows the climax and âwinds things upâ in the story.
denouement
vignette
synecdoche
tone
139. The method by which the author builds, or reveals, a character; it can be direct or indirect.
exposition
setting
falling action
characterization
140. A symbol so ancient and fundamental that its meaning is understood by the unconscious mind, even without contextual explanation.
archetype
diction
conceit
connotation
141. A brief work of fictional prose invented roughly in the early 1800s.
short story
poem
ode
novella
142. Word choice; the most basic element of a text.
irony
metonymy
diction
form
143. A sudden decline in tension, especially with comic effect or ironic disappointment.
falling action
climax
dissonance
anticlimax
144. A short poem expressing the personal feelings of a first-person speaker.
lyric
stanza
metonymy
couplet
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