Elements of Poetry, Fiction and Drama

ELEMENTS OF POETRY
The definition of "elements of poetry" is "a set of instruments used to

create a poem."
Alliteration
Two or more words which have the same initial sound. The
alliteration may be separated by prepositions. Alliteration
example: Pretty princess. Busy as a bee. Example of usage in a
poem: William Blake's "The Tiger".
Assonance
A partial rhyme which has the same internal vowel sounds
amongst different words. Assonance example: The tundra left the
man hungry for buns
Metaphor
A comparison which does not use the words like or as. Metaphor
example: "Life is a journey." Example of usage in a poem: Gary R.
Hess's "Seasons".
Onomatopoeia
Words that sound like their meaning. Onomatopoeia examples:
buzz, moo, pow, bang. Example of usage in a poem: William
Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper".
Repetitions
The repetition of the same word throughout the poem to
emphasize significance.
Rhyme
The repetition of sounds within different words, either end sound,
middle or beginning. Rhyme example: loose goose. Example of
usage in a poem: Oliver Wendell Holmes's "Old Ironsides".
Rhythm
The flow of words within each meter and stanza. Rhythm
example: Iambic pentameter. Example of usage in a poem:
Shakespeare's "Sonnet 116".
Simile
A comparison using the words like or as. Simile example: Life is
like a box of chocolates. Example of usage in a poem: Amy
Lowell's "A Decade".
Style
The way the poem is written. Free-style, ballad, haiku, etc.
Includes length of meters, number of stanzas along with rhyme
techniques and rhythm.
Symbol
Something that represents something else through association,
resemblance or convention.
Theme
The message, point of view and idea of the poem.
ELEMENTS OF FICTION
Character- A figure in a literary work (personality, gender, age,
etc.) E. M. Forester makes a distinction between flat
and round characters. Flat characters are types or
caricatures defined by a single idea of quality,
whereas round characters have the three-
dimensional complexity of real people.
Plot- The major event that moves the action in a narrative. It is

the sequence of major events in a story, usually in a
cause-effect relation.
Point of View- The vantage point from which a narrative is told.

A narrative typically told from a first-person or
third-person of view.
Settings- That combination of place, historical time, and social

milieu that provides the general background for the
characters and plot of a literary work.
Style- The author’s type of diction (choice of words), syntax

(arrangement of words) and other linguistic features of a
work.
Theme- The central and dominating idea (or ideas) in a literary

work. The term also indicates a message or moral
implicit in any work of art.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
Theme- The theme of a play refers to its central idea. It can

either be clearly stated through dialog or action, or can
be inferred after watching the entire performance.
Plot- The order of events occurring in a play make its plot.

Essentially, the plot is the story that the play narrates. The
entertainment value of a play depends largely on the
sequence of events in the story.
Characters- The characters that form a part of the story are

interwoven with the plot of drama. Each character
in a play has a personality of its own and a set of
principles and beliefs.
Dialog- The story of a play is taken forward by means of dialogs.

The story is narrated to the audience through the
interaction between the play’s characters, which is in
the form of dialogs.
Settings- The time and place where a story is set is one of its
important parts. The era or time in which the
incidents in the play take place, influence the
characters in their appearance and personalities.
Performance- It is another important element of drama, as the

impact that a story has on the audience is largely
affected by the performance of the actors.
Music- This element includes the use of sounds and rhythm in
dialogs as well as music compositions that are used in
the plays. The background score, the songs, and the
sound effects used should complement the situation
and the character in it.
Visual Element- While the dialog and music are the audible
aspects of drama, the visual element deals
with the scenes, costumes, and special effects
used in it.

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What are the main elements of poetry discussed?

What are the main elements of fiction discussed?

ELEMENTS OF POETRY

The definition of "elements of poetry" is "a set of instruments used to

Plot- The major event that moves the action in a narrative. It is

Point of View- The vantage point from which a narrative is told.

Settings- That combination of place, historical time, and social

Style- The author’s type of diction (choice of words), syntax

Theme- The central and dominating idea (or ideas) in a literary

Theme- The theme of a play refers to its central idea. It can

Plot- The order of events occurring in a play make its plot.

Characters- The characters that form a part of the story are

Dialog- The story of a play is taken forward by means of dialogs.

Performance- It is another important element of drama, as the

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