Literary Devices, Verse Forms, and Genres Explained
Semantic Resources
Allegory: A succession of metaphors (e.g., “Poor barquilla mía entre peñascos rota sin velas, y a las ondas entregada sola.”)
Comparison: Relationship, by a link of a real object and an object image (e.g., “The sun shines through the palms like a pan of fire.”)
Periphrasis: A roundabout expression that avoids the direct term (e.g., “Scarce had the ruddy Apollo spread over the face of the broad spacious earth the golden strands of her beautiful hair…”)
Metonymy: Designation of an object with the name of another with which it bears a relationship (e.g., “In this religion, I spotted six candles.”)
Synesthesia: Crossing two sensory images coming from different directions (e.g., “The sea breeze. The red sea breeze.”)
Measurement of Verses
Sinalefa, dieresis, syneresis, addition, suppression.
The Enjambment: The mismatch occurred when the break does not match the end of a verse with a grammatical pause, characteristic of a phrase.
Verse Forms
Couplet: 2 lines (consonant) aa, AA, Aa, aA
Tercet: 3 lines (consonant) AAA
Quatrain: 4 lines (consonant) ABBA
Quatrain: abba
Serventesio: ABAB
Quatrain: abab
Couplet: (assonance)-aa
Cuaderna Vía: (consonants) AAAA
Limerick: 5 verses
Quintet: 5 verses
Lira: B ab B
Sestet: 6 lines (as Limerick)
Broken Foot Couplet: (consonant) abc abc
Eighth Real: 8 verses ABABABCC
Décima or Spinel: 10 verses abb aa cc dd c
Poetry Forms
Carol: Octosyllabic or hexasyllabic; popular song typical of the Middle Ages and in the sixteenth century, abundant as a lyric song.
Zejel: 8 syllables: poetry comes from the popular Arabic-Spanish tradition.
Sonnet: 14 hendecasyllable verses (2 quartets and two tercets): classical verse in all Western Literature.
Romance: Octosyllabic verse (“aaaaaaa”): If his poems are of high art, it is called the heroic romance; if heptasyllabic verses, romance lay, and if they are six syllables, ballad
Silva: Verses of 7 and 11 syllables: Recite the noble stay when the poet repeats the same structure throughout the composition.
Literary Genres
Epic: Grouping works that tell of deeds of a people or their heroes. They are:
Epic: Long poem of collective creation, intended for song, about warlike actions of a people.
Epic Poem: In verse, exploits of national heroes.
Epic Poem: Epic poem extols the exploits of local heroes.
Romance: Short poem, typical of Hispanic tradition.
Narrative Genre
Reflects a reality outside the literary creator.
Novel: Lengthy narratives, prose, fictional account of facts about characters.
Story: Short stories, action, and condensed matter imaginary.
Lyric Genre
Develops a subjective reality. Expresses feelings, emotions, etc.
Ode: Elevated tone poem, which picks up the reflection of the poet.
Eclogue: Poems that reflect love affairs, pastors, and idealized nature.
Elegy: Poetry which expresses the sadness and grief over the death of a person.
Drama
Identifies with the theater, and there is no conflict or clash of ideas.
Tragedy: Case high, fatal, unfortunate outcome.
Comedy: Fun, happy ending.
Drama: Play that mixes comedy and tragedy.
Teaching Genre
Seeks to indoctrinate or educate the reader.
Essay: Work of variable extension, develops a theme with aprotic judgments and personal opinions.
Epistle: Work poetic or prose with issues relating to society and politics.
Fable: Short story of a little anecdote with didactic purposes.