English Literature key terms

An outlook that emphasises suffering, disappointment or the likelihood of unhappy outcomes.

A literary convention in which a lover idealises an unattainable beloved and expresses intense suffering, often through exaggerated comparisons and contradictions. It takes its name from the Italian poet Petrarch.

A conventional literary lover who idealises the beloved, often admiring her beauty and purity from a distance rather than knowing her through an equal relationship.

A fourteen-line poem traditionally associated with love, with an eight-line octave and a six-line sestet. Its argument usually changes direction between these sections.

The provision of money, time or practical support to improve other people's lives.

A person regarded as lacking appreciation of art, culture or intellectual interests; the speaker uses it as an insult.

Writing that represents the sound of speech through spelling, as in Nagra’s “ov” and “vee”.

A group of related words that functions as a unit within a sentence.

The belief that a person’s character can be read from their facial features or appearance; it is not a reliable way to identify criminality.

Money allowed to a wife for her personal expenses.

Compassion for another person's suffering, leading someone to wish to relieve it.

Affection and emotional support between people without a romantic or sexual relationship.

A close, affectionate relationship that is not romantic or sexual.

Assuming power over life and death traditionally associated with God, especially without accepting the obligations that accompany that power.

An ordinary Roman citizen belonging to the common people rather than the patrician aristocracy. In Julius Caesar, the plebeians appear collectively as commoners and citizens.

The sequence of events in a story and the connections between them, including causes and consequences.

An officially appointed national poet whose role includes writing poetry connected with public occasions.

A story in which characters and events also represent people, events or ideas outside the story. In Animal Farm, the struggle between Napoleon and Snowball parallels Stalin’s struggle against Trotsky.

The repetition of words formed from the same root, such as ‘leave’ and ‘leaving’.

The repeated use of conjunctions such as ‘and’ to connect words or phrases, often creating emphasis or a sense of accumulation.

The system of public assistance for people in poverty in England and Wales, reorganised by the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834.

A law passed in 1834 that reorganised poor relief in England and Wales, enabling restrictions on assistance outside workhouses and strengthening reliance on harsh workhouse provision.

A woman’s marriage fortune: the money she brings to a marriage.

A person whom a clone thinks might be the human they were copied from in Never Let Me Go.

A reading that examines colonial domination, its effects and resistance to it, often questioning the perspectives of those who claim authority over others.

An interpretation that examines colonial power and its effects on identity, representation and whose voice is heard.

A mental health condition that can follow a traumatic experience and may involve intrusive memories, nightmares and distress. Often abbreviated to PTSD.