Skip to content
    English Literature GCSE

    English Literature GCSE glossary

    258 key terms for English Literature GCSE, A to Z, each linked to the topic pages that use it.

    A

    Abstract Noun
    A noun denoting an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object.Eduqas
    Alienation
    A state of being isolated or disconnected from one's surroundings or true self.Eduqas
    Allegory
    A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Ambiguity
    The quality of being open to more than one interpretation.Eduqas, OCR
    Ambivalence
    The state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.Eduqas
    Anagnorisis
    A moment in a plot or story, specifically a tragedy, wherein the main character either recognizes or identifies his/her true nature, recognizes the other…Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Analytical Verbs
    Precise verbs used to explain what a writer is doing (e.g., conveys, illuminates, juxtaposes, foreshadows).Pearson Edexcel
    Anaphora
    The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Anonymity
    The state of being unnamed or unidentified.Eduqas
    Antagonist
    A character who actively opposes the protagonist.OCR
    Anthropomorphism
    The attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to a god, animal, or object.Eduqas
    Anti-Pastoral
    Literature that subverts the traditional, romanticised view of the countryside, instead presenting rural life as harsh, demanding, and unglamorous.Eduqas
    Antithesis
    A rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    AO1 (Assessment Objective 1)
    For OCR poetry, AO1 assesses your ability to compare texts.OCR
    AO2 (Assessment Objective 2)
    AO2 assesses your ability to analyse how writers use language, form, and structure to create meanings and effects.OCR
    Apologia
    A formal written defence of one's opinions or conduct.Eduqas
    Apostrophe
    A figure of speech in which the poet addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Aside
    A remark or passage in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play.OCR
    Assonance
    The repetition of vowel sounds within closely grouped words.Eduqas
    Asyndetic Listing
    A list of words, phrases, or clauses that are not connected by conjunctions (like 'and').Eduqas
    Asyndeton
    The omission of conjunctions (like 'and') between parts of a sentence.Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Atavism
    Reversion to something ancient or ancestral.Eduqas, OCR
    Atavism / Degeneration
    The reversion to an earlier, more primitive evolutionary type.Pearson Edexcel
    Authorial Intrusion
    When the narrator speaks directly to the reader to influence their opinion.Pearson Edexcel

    B

    Bathos
    An effect of anticlimax created by an unintentional lapse in mood from the sublime to the trivial or ridiculous.Eduqas
    Beast Fable
    A traditional form of storytelling where animals are given human feelings and motives.Pearson Edexcel
    Bildungsroman
    A novel that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of its main character from his or her youth to adulthood.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Blank Verse
    Unrhymed iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line, alternating unstressed/stressed).Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Blazon
    A poetic device in which the speaker lists the beautiful attributes of a subject, or, in this case, a catalogue of gifts.OCR
    Bourgeoisie / Ruling Class
    The capitalist class who own most of society's wealth and means of production.Pearson Edexcel
    Brechtian Alienation
    Theatrical techniques designed to remind the audience they are watching a play, preventing them from becoming passively lost in the story.Eduqas
    Brechtian Devices
    Techniques used to distance the audience from the emotional reality of the play, encouraging them to think critically.OCR
    Brechtian Distancing
    Techniques (like jazz music between scenes or addressing the audience) that stop the audience from getting lost in the emotion, forcing them to think…Eduqas
    Brechtian Techniques
    Theatrical devices designed to remind the audience they are watching a play, encouraging them to think critically rather than just feel emotionally.Eduqas, OCR
    Byronic Hero
    A type of fictional character who is a moody, brooding, and passionate man, haunted by a dark secret from his past.OCR

    C

    Caesura
    A pause near the middle of a line, indicated by punctuation.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Capitalism
    An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Caricature
    A description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Pearson Edexcel
    Catalyst
    A person or thing that precipitates an event or change.OCR
    Catharsis
    The purging of emotions (pity and fear) experienced by the audience at the end of a tragedy.Eduqas
    Character Motivation
    The underlying psychological or practical reasons driving a character's actions.Pearson Edexcel
    Chiaroscuro
    The treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting; in literature, the juxtaposition of light and dark imagery.Eduqas
    Chiasmus
    A rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by reversing their structures.Eduqas, OCR
    Chiasmus / Paradox
    A rhetorical device where concepts are repeated in reverse order, or a statement that contradicts itself.Pearson Edexcel
    Coherence
    The logical and smooth progression of ideas throughout an essay.Pearson Edexcel
    Collective pronouns
    Pronouns like 'we', 'our', and 'us' that create a sense of shared identity and unity.OCR
    Colloquialism
    The use of ordinary or familiar words or phrases.Eduqas
    Compound Adjective
    Two or more words joined by a hyphen to modify a noun.Eduqas
    Compound Noun
    A noun made up of two or more existing words.Eduqas
    Conceit
    An extended, elaborate metaphor that governs an entire poem or passage.Eduqas
    Conceptualised Response
    An answer that demonstrates a holistic understanding of the text, presenting a clear, overarching argument about the writer's intentions and the text's deeper…Pearson Edexcel
    Connotation
    The associated ideas or feelings that a word invokes, beyond its literal dictionary definition (denotation).Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Construct
    The idea that characters are not real people, but artificial creations built by the writer to represent ideas.Eduqas
    Contemporary Audience
    The people who read or watched the text at the time it was first published or performed.Pearson Edexcel
    Context
    The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood.Pearson Edexcel
    Couplet
    A pair of successive lines of verse, which usually rhyme and are of the same length.Eduqas, OCR
    Courtly Love
    Medieval tradition of idealized, often unattainable love.OCR
    Critical Style
    Writing that analyses and evaluates rather than merely describing or summarising.Pearson Edexcel
    Cuckold
    A man whose wife is unfaithful to him, traditionally mocked and depicted as having horns.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Cyclical Structure
    A structure where the text ends in a similar place to where it began, suggesting repetition or inevitability.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel

    D

    Declarative Sentence
    A sentence that makes a statement or 'declares' something.Eduqas
    Deictic Demonstrative
    A word (such as 'this,' 'that,' 'here,' 'there') that points to something in the immediate context.OCR
    Determinism
    The philosophical idea that all events are determined by external causes (like class), not free will.OCR
    Deus ex machina
    An unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Dialect / Register
    The specific variety of language used by a particular group or class.Eduqas
    Diaspora
    The dispersion of any people from their original homeland.Pearson Edexcel
    Diction
    The specific word choices made by a writer.Eduqas, OCR
    Didactic
    Intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Direct Address
    Speaking directly to the reader or a specific audience.Eduqas
    Discourse Marker
    Words or phrases used to connect, organise, and manage writing (e.g., 'Furthermore', 'Conversely', 'Ultimately').Pearson Edexcel
    Divine Right of Kings
    The political and theological doctrine that monarchs derive their authority directly from God and are accountable only to God, not to their subjects.Eduqas, OCR
    Doppelgänger
    A literary archetype of a double or alter-ego, often representing the darker side of a character.Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Doppelgänger / Gothic Double
    A literary device where a character is duplicated or divided into two distinct, often opposing, personalities.OCR
    Dramatic Irony
    When the audience knows something that the characters on stage do not.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Dramatic Monologue
    A poem in the form of a speech or narrative by an imagined person, in which the speaker inadvertently reveals aspects of their character.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Duality
    An instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Dystopia
    An imagined society characterised by oppression, suffering, or injustice, often used to critique contemporary social or political issues.OCR

    E

    Elegiac
    Having a mournful or sorrowful tone, often lamenting something lost.Pearson Edexcel
    Elegy
    A poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.Eduqas
    Embedded Quotation
    A quotation that is integrated grammatically into the writer's own sentence.Pearson Edexcel
    Enjambment
    When a sentence or phrase runs over from one poetic line to the next without terminal punctuation.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Entailment
    A legal device used to prevent a landed property from being broken up, sold, or bequeathed to anyone outside of the male line.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Epiphany
    A moment of sudden and profound realisation or understanding, often at the climax of a story.OCR
    Epistolary
    A novel written as a series of documents or letters.Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Epistolary Form
    A novel written as a series of documents, usually letters.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Epistolary Novel
    A novel written as a series of documents, usually letters.OCR
    Epistolary Structure
    A narrative told through a series of documents, letters, or diary entries.Pearson Edexcel
    Epithet
    An adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person.Eduqas
    Equivocation
    The use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Eternalising Metaphor
    A Renaissance literary convention in which poets claim that their verse can grant immortality to the subject.OCR
    Etymology
    The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.Eduqas
    Eulogy
    A speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly, typically someone who has just died.Eduqas
    Euphemism
    A mild or indirect word or expression used in place of one considered too harsh or blunt.OCR
    Extended Metaphor
    A metaphor that is developed over several lines or throughout an entire poem.Eduqas, OCR

    F

    Fable
    A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.Pearson Edexcel
    First-Person Narrative
    A story told from the perspective of 'I', giving direct access to one character's thoughts and feelings.OCR
    First-person Persona
    A constructed narrative voice ('I') that is not necessarily the author's direct autobiographical voice.Eduqas
    Foil
    A character who contrasts with another character to highlight specific qualities.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Foreshadowing
    A warning or indication of a future event.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Frame Narrative
    A story within a story.Pearson Edexcel
    Framing Device
    A narrative technique in which a story is surrounded by a secondary story, creating context.Eduqas
    Free Indirect Discourse
    A style of third-person narration which uses some of the characteristics of third-person along with the essence of first-person direct speech.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Free Verse
    Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel

    G

    Galvanism
    The historical scientific theory that electricity could reanimate dead tissue.Pearson Edexcel
    Gothic
    A literary genre characterised by an atmosphere of mystery and horror, and a pseudo-medieval setting.Eduqas, OCR
    Gothic Elements
    Literature characterised by elements of fear, horror, death, and gloom, as well as romantic elements.Pearson Edexcel
    Gothic Literature
    A genre characterized by gloomy settings, supernatural events, high emotion, and themes of death and decay.Pearson Edexcel

    H

    Half-rhyme
    Also known as slant rhyme or near rhyme, where the final consonants of words are the same but the vowel sounds are different (e.g., 'shape' and 'keep').Eduqas, OCR
    Hamartia
    A fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Holistic
    Characterized by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.OCR
    Holy Sonnet
    A series of nineteen devotional poems written by John Donne, exploring themes of mortality, divine love, and salvation.OCR
    Hubris
    Excessive pride or self-confidence that leads to a character's downfall.Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Hyperbole
    Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.Eduqas, OCR

    I

    Iambic Pentameter
    A line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of one short (or unstressed) syllable followed by one long (or stressed) syllable.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Iambic Tetrameter
    A line of poetry with four metrical feet, each consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM).Eduqas, OCR
    Id, Ego, Superego
    Concepts from Freudian theory.OCR
    Id/Ego/Superego
    Freudian psychological terms: Id (primal desires), Ego (reality), Superego (morality).Pearson Edexcel
    Idealisation
    Representing something as perfect or better than in reality.Eduqas
    Idealized
    Regarded or represented as perfect or better than in reality.OCR
    Ideology
    A system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.Pearson Edexcel
    In media res
    A narrative that begins in the middle of the action, rather than at the chronological beginning.Pearson Edexcel
    Inferential Comprehension
    Reading between the lines to deduce implied meanings, motivations, and themes.Pearson Edexcel
    Intertextuality
    The relationship between texts, especially literary ones; quoting or referencing other works.Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Intrusive Narrator
    A narrator who interrupts the story to provide a commentary or speak directly to the reader.OCR
    Irony
    A literary technique where the full significance of a character's words or actions is clear to the reader or audience but unknown to the character.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel

    J

    Jingoism
    Extreme patriotism, especially in the form of aggressive or warlike foreign policy.Eduqas
    Juxtaposition
    The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel

    K

    Kitchen Sink Drama
    A British cultural movement in the late 1950s and early 1960s that focused on the gritty, everyday lives of working-class characters.OCR
    Kitchen Sink Realism
    A cultural movement in the late 1950s featuring angry, young, working-class protagonists in cramped domestic settings.Eduqas

    L

    Liminality
    The state of being on the threshold of or between two different existential planes.OCR
    Literal Comprehension
    Understanding the exact, explicit meaning of the words on the page.Pearson Edexcel
    Literary Present Tense
    The convention of writing about fictional events and authors' actions in the present tense.Pearson Edexcel
    Lyric Poem
    A formal type of poetry which expresses personal emotions or feelings, typically spoken in the first person.OCR
    Lyric Poetry
    A form of poetry that expresses personal emotions or feelings, typically spoken in the first person.OCR

    M

    Macabre
    Disturbing because concerned with or causing a fear of death.Eduqas
    Machiavellian
    Relating to the political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli, who argued in *The Prince* (1532) that effective rulers must be willing to use deception,…Eduqas, OCR
    Malapropism
    The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with an unintentionally amusing effect.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Malthusian Economics
    The theory that poverty is inevitable and necessary to control population growth.Pearson Edexcel
    Marginalization
    Treatment of a person or group as insignificant or peripheral.Eduqas
    Masque
    A spectacular courtly entertainment featuring music, dance, and elaborate costumes.Eduqas
    Mechanisation
    The introduction of machines into a process, especially farming.Eduqas
    Melancholy
    A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.Eduqas, OCR
    Meta-theatre
    Theatre that draws attention to its own nature as a performance.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Meta-theatrical
    A dramatic technique where the play draws attention to its own artificiality, reminding the audience that they are watching a performance rather than reality.OCR
    Metaphor
    A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Metaphysical Conceit
    An extended, elaborate comparison between two seemingly very different things.OCR
    Metatheatre
    Theatre that draws attention to its own unreality or artificiality.Eduqas
    Metre
    The regular rhythmic pattern of syllables in a line of poetry.Eduqas
    Microcosm
    A community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristics of something much larger.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Minor Sentence
    A sentence that does not necessarily contain a main verb but functions as a sentence.Eduqas
    Misanthrope
    A person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.Eduqas, OCR
    Misrule
    The deliberate inversion of social order and rules, typical of the Twelfth Night festival.Pearson Edexcel
    Monosyllabic
    Consisting of one syllable.OCR
    Morality Play
    A type of play, popular in the medieval period, that presents a lesson about right and wrong.OCR
    Motif
    A recurring image, symbol, or idea that develops a theme.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Mouthpiece
    A character used to express the author's own views.Pearson Edexcel

    N

    Narrative Voice
    The perspective and tone through which a story is told.OCR
    Naturalism
    A theatrical style that seeks to create a perfect illusion of reality.Eduqas, OCR
    Novella
    A short novel or a long short story.OCR

    O

    Objectification
    The action of degrading someone to the status of a mere object.Eduqas
    Octave and Sestet
    The two main sections of a Petrarchan sonnet (8 lines, then 6 lines).Eduqas
    Ode
    A formal lyric poem that addresses and often celebrates a person, place, thing, or idea.Eduqas
    Omniscient Narrator
    An all-knowing narrative voice that can see into the minds of all characters and offer moral judgements.Eduqas, OCR
    Onomatopoeia
    Words that imitate the sound they describe.Eduqas
    Oxymoron
    A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel

    P

    Paradox
    A statement that appears self-contradictory but contains a deeper truth.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Parataxis
    The placing of clauses or phrases one after another, without words to indicate coordination or subordination.Eduqas
    Pastoral
    A literary genre that idealizes rural life and landscapes.Eduqas, OCR
    Pathetic Fallacy
    The attribution of human feelings and responses to inanimate things or animals, especially in art and literature.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Pathos
    A quality that evokes pity or sadness.OCR
    Patriarchy
    A social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Peripeteia
    A sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Persona
    The character or voice assumed by the poet.Eduqas
    Personification
    Giving human qualities to non-human things or abstract concepts.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Petrarchan Blazon
    A rhetorical device in which a poet catalogues the physical attributes of the beloved, comparing them to idealised natural imagery (roses, stars, etc.).OCR
    Petrarchan Lover
    A melodramatic, self-pitying lover who suffers from unrequited love, based on the poetry of Petrarch.Pearson Edexcel
    Petrarchan Sonnet
    A 14-line poem consisting of an octave with the rhyme scheme abbaabba and of a sestet with one of several rhyme schemes.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Physiognomy
    A pseudo-science popular in the Victorian era suggesting a person's moral character could be judged from their facial features.Pearson Edexcel
    Plosive
    Harsh consonant sounds (like p, b, t, d, k, g) created by completely stopping the airflow and then releasing it.Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Plosive Alliteration
    Repetition of harsh consonant sounds (b, p, t, d, k, g) that require a sudden release of air.Pearson Edexcel
    Plosives
    Harsh consonant sounds like 'b', 'p', 'd', 't'.Eduqas
    Polemic
    A strong written or spoken attack on someone or something.OCR
    Polysyndeton
    The repeated use of conjunctions (like 'and') in quick succession.Pearson Edexcel
    Post-Colonial Reading
    Analyzing literature to explore the impacts of European colonization and the power dynamics between colonizer and colonized.Eduqas
    Present Participle
    A verb ending in '-ing' used to show continuous action.Eduqas
    Problem Play
    A play that deals with contentious social issues and has a complex, ambiguous tone that does not fit neatly into the traditional categories of comedy or…OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Prolepsis
    Foreshadowing or anticipating a future event.Eduqas
    Proleptic Irony / Foreshadowing
    A narrative device where a future event is hinted at or anticipated.Eduqas
    Proletariat
    Workers or working-class people, regarded collectively (often used with reference to Marxism).Pearson Edexcel
    Propaganda
    Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.Pearson Edexcel
    Prose
    Ordinary written language without metrical structure.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Prose and Verse
    Verse is poetic language with a regular rhythm (iambic pentameter), used by high-status characters and in moments of emotional intensity.OCR
    Protagonist
    The leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Pseudonym
    A fictitious name, especially one used by an author.Eduqas
    PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
    An anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.Eduqas
    Puritanism
    A strict religious movement that opposed entertainment, theatre, and festivity.Pearson Edexcel

    R

    Reflexive Verb
    A verb whose direct object is the same as its subject (e.g., 'reduced itself').Eduqas
    Repression
    The psychological process of suppressing unacceptable desires or impulses.Eduqas
    Retrospective Irony
    When words or events take on a different, often tragic, meaning when looked back upon after a later event.Eduqas
    Retrospective Narration
    A narrative technique where the narrator tells the story from a point in the future, looking back on past events.OCR
    Retrospective Narrative
    A story told from the point of view of a narrator who is looking back on events in their past.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Rhetoric
    The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.Eduqas, OCR
    Rhetorical Question
    A question asked for effect or to make a point, rather than to get an answer.OCR
    Rhyme Scheme
    The ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem.OCR
    Rhyming Couplet
    A pair of consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme and are of the same metrical length.OCR
    Romanticism
    An artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century, which emphasized intense emotion as an…Eduqas, OCR

    S

    Satire
    The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics…Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Scapegoat
    A person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others.Pearson Edexcel
    Semantic Field
    A set of words grouped by meaning referring to a specific subject.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Sensory Imagery
    Language that appeals to the five senses.Eduqas
    Sibilance
    A literary device where strongly stressed consonants are created deliberately by producing air from vocal tracts through the use of lips and tongue (e.g., 's'…Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Simile
    A figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things, using the words 'like' or 'as'.Eduqas, OCR
    Social Commentary
    The act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on issues in a society.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Social Realism
    A genre that draws attention to the everyday conditions of the working class and the poor to critique the power structures behind these conditions.Pearson Edexcel
    Social Satire
    The use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticise people's stupidity or vices.Pearson Edexcel
    Socialism
    A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated…Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Soliloquy
    A speech given by a character alone on stage, revealing their inner thoughts.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Sonnet
    A 14-line poem with a regular rhyme scheme.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Speaker
    The narrative voice of the poem.OCR
    Spindrift
    Spray blown from the crests of waves by the wind.Eduqas
    Spot of Time
    Wordsworth's term for a vivid, formative childhood memory that retains its emotional power and shapes adult identity.Eduqas
    Stagecraft
    The skill or art of writing or staging plays.OCR
    Standard English
    The universally accepted, formal dialect of English, characterised by accurate grammar, spelling, and punctuation, avoiding colloquialisms and slang.Pearson Edexcel
    Status Quo
    The existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues.Pearson Edexcel
    Stichomythia
    Rapid, back-and-forth dialogue between two characters, often used in scenes of high tension or argument.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Structural Parallelism
    The repetition of similar structural elements to create contrast or comparison.Eduqas
    Subject Terminology
    Specific literary terms used to describe writers' methods (e.g., metaphor, enjambment, dramatic irony).Pearson Edexcel
    Sublime
    A Romantic concept describing the feeling of awe, terror, and beauty inspired by the overwhelming power of nature.Eduqas
    Subversion
    The undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution (like romantic traditions).Eduqas
    Subvert
    To undermine the power and authority of an established system or institution.Pearson Edexcel
    Symbolism
    The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Synaesthesia
    A technique adopted by writers to present ideas, characters, or places in such a manner that they appeal to more than one sense at a given time.Eduqas
    Synecdoche
    A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole, or vice versa (e.g., 'suits' for business executives).Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    Syntax
    The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences.Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel

    T

    Tabula Rasa
    The theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content, a 'blank slate', and that all knowledge comes from experience.Pearson Edexcel
    The Sublime
    A concept prominent in Romantic literature referring to the quality of greatness, whether physical, moral, intellectual, or artistic, that inspires awe and…Eduqas, Pearson Edexcel
    The Uncanny
    The psychological experience of something as strangely familiar, producing a feeling of unease or cognitive dissonance.OCR
    Theurgy
    White magic or 'high' magic, achieved through study and intellectual pursuit.Eduqas
    Tonal Shift
    A change in the writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject.Eduqas
    Tone
    The general character or attitude of a piece of writing.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Totalitarianism
    A system of government that is centralised and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.Pearson Edexcel
    Tragic Irony
    A situation where the audience/reader is aware of a tragic reality that the character is not, or when an outcome is cruelly contrary to what was hoped.Eduqas
    Transgressive
    Involving a violation of accepted or imposed boundaries, especially those of social acceptability.Pearson Edexcel
    Transience
    The state or fact of lasting only for a short time; impermanence.Eduqas
    Tripartite Structure
    A narrative structure divided into three parts.OCR

    U

    Uncanny
    Something that is strangely familiar, yet unsettling or eerie.Eduqas
    Understatement
    Presenting something as being smaller or less important than it actually is.Eduqas
    Unities (Classical)
    The rules of drama stating a play should have one action, occur in one place, and happen within one day.Eduqas
    Unreliable Narrator
    A narrator whose credibility is compromised, either through bias, limited knowledge, or self-deception.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Usurpation
    Taking someone's power or property by force.Eduqas
    Usury
    The practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest.OCR, Pearson Edexcel
    Utilitarianism
    The doctrine that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of a majority; in education, focusing only on measurable, practical outcomes.Eduqas

    V

    Verb Choice
    The specific verbs a writer chooses to convey action and emotion.OCR
    Visceral Imagery
    Imagery that relates to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect; language that creates a physical, gut response.OCR
    Volta
    A turn or shift in thought or emotion within a poem.Eduqas, OCR

    W

    Well-Made Play
    A dramatic genre from the 19th century with a complex plot, building suspense through secrets and revelations, leading to a climax.OCR

    Z

    Zeitgeist
    The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.Pearson Edexcel
    Zoomorphism
    Applying animal characteristics to humans.Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel

    Where these terms come from

    Each definition is one we publish on a English Literature GCSE topic page or study guide. Open a term to see how each exam board words it and which topic it belongs to. For the full course, go to English Literature revision or the glossary for every subject.

    Revise English Literature with these terms

    Create a free account to practise exam questions and get feedback on your answers.

    Start free

    7 days Premium · Then free forever · No card, no charge

    English Literature topics

    Cookies on MasteryMind

    Essential cookies keep you signed in.

    Analytics and advertising cookies stay off unless you accept. Read our Privacy Policy.