English Literature key terms

A metal restraint used to bind a person’s hands. Blake uses manacles metaphorically for psychological imprisonment.

Influencing someone through concealed intentions, deception or pressure rather than allowing a fully informed choice.

A marriage chosen chiefly for practical benefits, such as financial security or social position, rather than romantic affection.

The money or property a woman brings to marriage. Collins describes Elizabeth’s small marriage fortune as her ‘portion’.

A legal arrangement securing money or property for someone, such as the provision agreed for Lydia when she marries Wickham.

A person who suffers or dies for their religious faith or principles.

The political and economic ideas associated with Karl Marx, including criticism of class exploitation and the ideal of a classless society with shared ownership of the means of production.

The qualities and behaviours that a society associates with being a man, such as courage, strength or emotional restraint.

An elaborate entertainment combining poetry, music, costume and dance, often associated with royal courts. Prospero’s spirits perform one to celebrate Miranda and Ferdinand’s betrothal.

A Christian act of worship, especially associated with Roman Catholicism, commemorating Christ’s sacrifice. In Duffy’s poem, it gives the photographer’s work religious seriousness.

An excessive concern with money and possessions rather than relationships or moral values.

An approach to science concerned with the physical world and observable evidence, rather than spiritual or supernatural explanations.

A woman who leads or exercises authority within a family or community.

The passing of inheritance or traditions through the female line; in Leave Taking, Mai passes her knowledge to Del as a symbolic daughter.

A short statement expressing a rule or principle. Boxer's repeated maxims reduce complicated problems to hard work and obedience.

A person who tries to resolve disagreement between others.

A gathering involving music or poetry. Papa’s musical gatherings connect the family and their friends with their cultural heritage.

A persistent sadness or tendency towards sorrow; Antonio’s melancholy shapes his presentation from the opening scene.

A reminder that human life ends in death, encouraging reflection on how life should be lived.

Motivated chiefly by financial gain rather than affection or principle.

A trader who buys and sells goods. Antonio’s wealth depends on goods transported by sea.

Compassion shown towards someone whom one has the power to punish.

Language that presents one thing as another, suggesting a connection between them.

Drama that draws attention to itself as a performance, including the roles of actors, spectators and theatrical illusion.

Language which draws attention to theatre or performance itself, such as Macbeth’s comparison of life to an actor’s brief appearance on a stage.

A deliberate choice a writer makes to communicate meaning, such as a word, image, repeated phrase, speaking voice or arrangement of ideas.

A figure of speech in which something is referred to through a closely associated object or idea; “tongue” can stand for language.

The patterned arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in verse.