Essential Literary Terms and Historical Genres Defined

Essential Literary Terms and Historical Genres

Elegies: Expressing Personal Emotions

Elegies express personal emotions, often characterized by mourning or reflection. Poetic devices frequently found include alliteration and caesura.

The most important elegies are preserved in the Exeter Book of the Exeter Cathedral, notably:

• “The Wanderer”
• “The Seafarer”

These works were composed around the 9th century.

The Wanderer: Theme of Exile

“The Wanderer” specifically deals with the theme of exile. It portrays an Anglo-Saxon warrior demonstrating his loyalty to his lord or his country.

Metaphysical Poets

Key figures in the Metaphysical poetry movement include:

• John Donne
• Ben Jonson

The Epistolary Novel

The epistolary novel is a narrative form presented entirely in the form of letters.

Pioneers:

• Aphra Behn (the first woman author in this genre) with Love Letters between a Nobleman and his Sister (1683).
• Samuel Richardson (often considered the first author to popularize the form).

Notable Examples:

• Pamela or the Virtue Rewarded
• Clarissa Harlowe

Ballad: Narrative Poem

A ballad is a narrative poem, usually structured to be sung.

Paradox: Juxtaposition of Incongruous Ideas

A paradox is an anomalous juxtaposition of incongruous ideas for the sake of striking exposition or unexpected insight. It functions as a method of literary composition, involving the examination of apparently contradictory statements and drawing conclusions either to reconcile them or to explain their presence.

Conceit: Elaborate Literary Comparison

A conceit is an elaborate or unusual comparison, especially one using unlikely metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and contradiction.

Revenge Tragedy

Revenge tragedies feature intense themes such as revenge, cruelty, and rhetorical passion. Key examples include:

• Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy
• William Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Jacobean Drama (Renaissance)

Jacobean drama refers to the dramatic works produced during the reign of James I (1603–1625), falling within the broader English Renaissance period.

Restoration Drama and the Comedy of Manners

The Restoration period (1660 onwards) brought significant changes to drama:

• Theatres: Only public licensed theatres operated, such as The Royal Theatre and Inn Fields Theatre.
• Performers: Women began to play female characters for the first time.
• Audience: Initially composed of the upper class or upper-middle class.

The plays reflected the manners and moral values of the people who returned from France with the king. This style became known as the Comedy of Manners.

Themes and Characteristics:

• Love and sex were often treated with comic and obvious emphasis (e.g., older individuals seeking younger lovers).
• New concerns developed from earlier city comedy.
• Plays portrayed the differences between country life and city life.
• Stories were complex and humorous.
• The genre satirized the false fashions and selfish behavior prevalent at the time.

The Sonnet Form

The poet Thomas Wyatt introduced the sonnet to England, adapting many of the sonnets originally written by Petrarch.

The Invention of Printing

Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in Germany, and the technology subsequently spread throughout Europe. The English merchant William Caxton set up the first printing machine in London.

Gothic Novel and Romance

The Gothic novel, or romance, flourished towards the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. It is characterized by themes of romance and terror.

Setting and Atmosphere:

• Set in remote times and distant places, such as Medieval Italy.
• Features dark castles with gloomy dungeons and mysterious passageways.

The focus of the Gothic novel is on feelings rather than societal norms and morality.

Picaresque Novel

The picaresque novel follows the adventures of a “pícaro” (rogue). Moll Flanders, written by Daniel Defoe, is considered a primary example of the English picaresque. Other notable authors include Tobias Smollett.