of perfection. Corresponding to this essen-
tially humanist vision was a resistance to
religious authority.Epic:A long narrative poem about the adven-
tures of a hero of great historic or legendary
importance. The setting is vast and the
action is often given cosmic significance
through the intervention of supernatural
forces such as gods, angels, or demons.
Epics are typically written in a classical
style of grand simplicity with elaborate
metaphors and allusions that enhance the
symbolic importance of a hero’s adventures.
Epic Simile:SeeHomeric Simile
Epigram:A saying that makes the speaker’s
point quickly and concisely.
Epilogue:A concluding statement or section of a
literary work. In dramas, particularly those
of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
the epilogue is a closing speech, often in
verse, delivered by an actor at the end of a
play and spoken directly to the audience.
Epiphany:A sudden revelation of truth inspired
by a seemingly trivial incident.
Epitaph:An inscription on a tomb or tombstone,
or a verse written on the occasion of a per-
son’s death. Epitaphs may be serious or
humorous.
Epithalamion:A song or poem written to honor
and commemorate a marriage ceremony.
Epithalamium:SeeEpithalamion
Epithet:A word or phrase, often disparaging or
abusive, that expresses a character trait of
someone or something.
Erziehungsroman:SeeBildungsroman
Essay:A prose composition with a focused sub-
ject of discussion. The term was coined by
Michel de Montaigne to describe his 1580
collection of brief, informal reflections on
himself and on various topics relating to
human nature. An essay can also be a long,
systematic discourse.
Existentialism: A predominantly twentieth-
century philosophy concerned with the
nature and perception of human existence.
There are two major strains of existentialist
thought: atheistic and Christian. Followers
of atheistic existentialism believe that the
individual is alone in a godless universe
and that the basic human condition is one
of suffering and loneliness. Nevertheless,
because there are no fixed values, individu-
als can create their own characters—indeed,
they can shape themselves—through the
exercise of free will. The atheistic strain cul-
minates in and is popularly associated with
the works of Jean-Paul Sartre. The Christian
existentialists, on the other hand, believe
that only in God may people find freedom
from life’s anguish. The two strains hold
certain beliefs in common: that existence
cannot be fully understood or described
through empirical effort; that anguish is a
universal element of life; that individuals
must bear responsibility for their actions;
and that there is no common standard of
behavior or perception for religious and eth-
ical matters.
Expatriates:SeeExpatriatism
Expatriatism: The practice of leaving one’s
country to live for an extended period in
another country.
Exposition: Writing intended to explain the
nature of an idea, thing, or theme. Exposi-
tory writing is often combined with descrip-
tion, narration, or argument. In dramatic
writing, the exposition is the introductory
material which presents the characters, set-
ting, and tone of the play.
Expressionism:An indistinct literary term, orig-
inally used to describe an early twentieth-
century school of German painting. The
term applies to almost any mode of uncon-
ventional, highly subjective writing that dis-
torts reality in some way.
Extended Monologue:SeeMonologueF
Feet:SeeFoot
Feminine Rhyme:SeeRhyme
Fiction:Any story that is the product of imagi-
nation rather than a documentation of fact.
Characters and events in such narratives
may be based in real life but their ultimate
form and configuration is a creation of the
author.
Figurative Language:A technique in writing in
which the author temporarily interrupts the
order, construction, or meaning of the writ-
ing for a particular effect. This interruption
takes the form of one or more figures of
speech such as hyperbole, irony, or simile.
Figurative language is the opposite of literalGlossary of Literary Terms