developed since classical times for arranging
facts and ideas in a clear, persuasive, appeal-
ing manner. The term is also used to refer to
effective prose in general and theories of or
methods for composing effective prose.Rhetorical Question:A question intended to pro-
voke thought, but not an expressed answer,
in the reader. It is most commonly used in
oratory and other persuasive genres.
Rhyme:When used as a noun in literary criticism,
this term generally refers to a poem in which
words sound identical or very similar and
appear in parallel positions in two or more
lines. Rhymes are classified into different
types according to where they fall in a line
or stanza or according to the degree of sim-
ilarity they exhibit in their spellings and
sounds. Some major types of rhyme are
‘‘masculine’’ rhyme, ‘‘feminine’’ rhyme, and
‘‘triple’’ rhyme. In a masculine rhyme, the
rhyming sound falls in a single accented syl-
lable, as with ‘‘heat’’ and ‘‘eat.’’ Feminine
rhyme is a rhyme of two syllables, one
stressed and one unstressed, as with ‘‘merry’’
and ‘‘tarry.’’ Triple rhyme matches the sound
of the accented syllable and the two unac-
cented syllables that follow: ‘‘narrative’’ and
‘‘declarative.’’
Rhyme Royal:A stanza of seven lines composed
in iambic pentameter and rhymedababbcc.
The name is said to be a tribute to King
James I of Scotland, who made much use
of the form in his poetry.
Rhyme Scheme:SeeRhyme
Rhythm:A regular pattern of sound, time inter-
vals, or events occurring in writing, most
often and most discernably in poetry. Regu-
lar, reliable rhythm is known to be soothing
to humans, while interrupted, unpredictable,
or rapidly changing rhythm is disturbing.
These effects are known to authors, who use
themtoproduceadesiredreactioninthe
reader.
Rococo:A style of European architecture that
flourished in the eighteenth century, espe-
cially in France. The most notable features
ofrococoare its extensive use of ornamenta-
tion and its themes of lightness, gaiety, and
intimacy. In literary criticism, the term is
often used disparagingly to refer to a deca-
dent or over-ornamental style.
Romance:A broad term, usually denoting a nar-
rative with exotic, exaggerated, often ideal-
ized characters, scenes, and themes.
Romantic Age:SeeRomanticism
Romanticism:This term has two widely accepted
meanings. In historical criticism, it refers to
a European intellectual and artistic move-
ment of the late eighteenth and early nine-
teenth centuries that sought greater freedom
of personal expression than that allowed by
the strict rules of literary form and logic of
the eighteenth-century neoclassicists. The
Romantics preferred emotional and imagi-
native expression to rational analysis. They
considered the individual to be at the center
of all experience and so placed him or her at
the center of their art. The Romantics
believed that the creative imagination
reveals nobler truths—unique feelings and
attitudes—than those that could be discov-
ered by logic or by scientific examination.
Both the natural world and the state of
childhood were important sources for reve-
lations of ‘‘eternal truths.’’ ‘‘Romanticism’’
is also used as a general term to refer to a
type of sensibility found in all periods of
literary history and usually considered to
be in opposition to the principles of classi-
cism. In this sense, Romanticism signifies
any work or philosophy in which the exotic
or dreamlike figure strongly, or that is
devoted to individualistic expression, self-
analysis, or a pursuit of a higher realm of
knowledge than can be discovered by
human reason.
Romantics:SeeRomanticism
Russian Symbolism:A Russian poetic move-
ment, derived from French symbolism, that
flourished between 1894 and 1910. While
some Russian Symbolists continued in the
French tradition, stressing aestheticism and
the importance of suggestion above didactic
intent, others saw their craft as a form of
mystical worship, and themselves as media-
tors between the supernatural and the
mundane.S
Satire:A work that uses ridicule, humor, and wit
to criticize and provoke change in human
nature and institutions. There are two
major types of satire: ‘‘formal’’ or ‘‘direct’’
satire speaks directly to the reader or to aGlossary of Literary Terms