neoclassicism A fascination with the
ideals of classical Greece and Rome
that was prevalent in the arts in Europe
during the Enlightenment (1650–1800).
In literature, neoclassicism developed
most fully in France, with playwrights
Molière and Jean Racine writing
comedies and tragedies respectively
that adhered to the classical unities.
In Britain, major proponents included
poet Alexander Pope and satirist
Jonathan Swift.New Journalism A form of
nonfiction writing that uses stylistic
devices from fiction to achieve a
heightened literary effect, dramatizing
events rather than sticking to objective
journalistic truth. Key practitioners
included Hunter S. Thompson, Truman
Capote, Norman Mailer, and Joan
Didion. The name derives from the 1973
book by American author Tom Wolfe.nonfiction A work of prose in which
nothing is made up, and which is about
and based on facts and real events (as
opposed to fiction).novel A sustained work of prose
fiction, usually of several hundred
pages, and typically containing
characters and a plot. The novel form
developed gradually from the 16th
century onward.novella A work of prose fiction that
is shorter than a novel, but longer than
a short story. A novella can touch on
themes almost as broad in scope as
a full novel, although it retains some of
the compact unity of the short story.novel of manners A literary style that
examined (often satirically) the values
and contradictions of society through
the domestic scenarios of the middle
and upper classes, and in which
literary realism was a key element.
Developed partly in reaction to the
gothic novels of the late 18th century
and the excesses of Romanticism.ode A usually rhyming lyric poem
written as an address to (often inpraise of) a person, place, or thing. It
originated in ancient Greece, where it
was performed accompanied by music.parody A work that mocks its target
by humorously, satirically, or ironically
imitating and exaggerating its least
effective elements.pathetic fallacy First coined by
Victorian critic John Ruskin in 1856,
the term describes a literary device by
which human emotions are attributed
to nature or the environment, in such
a way that nature seems to offer a
reflection of a character’s inner state.picaresque novel From the Spanish
word pícaro, meaning “rogue” or
“rascal,” an episodic prose narrative
about a disreputable but likeable hero.plot The main story, or the sequence
and interrelationship of crucial events,
in a work of literature.poetry Literary writing of concentrated
expression, intended to evoke a greater
resonance than prose. Poetry uses a
wide variety of devices, including
alliteration, rhyme, metaphor, and
rhythm, to achieve its effects. Different
forms of poetry include the epic, the
ballad, the sonnet, and, more recently,
the less structured form of free verse.postcolonial literature A branch
of writing, especially novels, that
developed in former colonies around
the world in the mid-20th century,
dealing with the aftermath of
colonization and examining issues
such as oppression and freedom,
cultural identity, and diaspora.postmodernism In literature, a
movement that began after World War
II, developing from the experimentation
of the Modernist era. Postmodernist
works exhibit differing approaches,
but often mock previous traditions by
parody, pastiche, and the mixing of
elements of high and low art; they use
techniques of metafiction to draw
attention to a work’s artificiality.prose The ordinary, natural form
of written or spoken language, as
opposed to the more structured,
rhythmic forms of poetry.protagonist The chief character in
a story or narrative; the person to
whom the story happens.realism The accurate depiction of life
as it is lived by ordinary people. Often
specifically referring to the literary
approach that was adopted in France
(particularly in the novels of Gustave
Flaubert) in the 19th century, which
stressed material facts and sociological
insight in reaction to the emotional
nature of Romantic literature.rhyme A repetition of the same sound
in two or more words; when this occurs
at the end of lines in a poem it creates
an effect, which poets use to achieve
various ends (for example to enhance
meaning, to round off a poem, or simply
for harmony).rhyme scheme The pattern of the
rhymes in a poem. Certain types of
poem have strict rhyme schemes, such
as terza rima, the Shakespearean
sonnet, and the Keatsian ode.roman à clef A work in which real
people and events are presented in
fictionalized form. From the French
meaning “novel with a key.”romance In the 16th to 18th centuries,
a work of fiction that contained
extraordinary adventures or fanciful
elements. In contemporary fiction,
a genre whose narrative and plot
focus on romantic love.Romanticism In literature, a Europe-
wide literary movement that began in
the late 18th century, in which writers
rejected the Enlightenment ideals
of objective reason, and wrote only
from their own personal perspective.
Rationality and restraint were replaced
by inspiration and subjectivity. Themes
included intense emotional experiences
and the sublime beauty of nature.342 GLOSSARY
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