GlossaryofTerms英语文学术语解释.docVIP

Glossary of Terms A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Z A Abstract: Used as a noun, the term refers to a short summary or outline of a longer work. As an adjective applied to writing or literary works, abstract refers to words or phrases that name things not knowable through the five senses. Examples of abstracts include the Cliffs Notes summaries of major literary works. Examples of abstract terms or concepts include idea, guilt honesty, and loyalty. (Compare with Concrete.) Absurd, Theater of the: See Theater of the Absurd Absurdism: See Theater of the Absurd Accent: The emphasis or stress placed on a syllable in poetry. Traditional poetry commonly uses patterns of accented and unaccented syllables (known as feet) that create distinct rhythms. Much modern poetry uses less formal arrangements that create a sense of freedom and spontaneity. The following line from William Shakespeares Hamlet: To be or not to be: that is the question has five accents, on the words be, not, be, and that, and the first syllable of question. (See also Cadence, Foot, Measure, Meter, poem, Poetics, Poetry, Scansion, Sprung Rhythm, Verse, and Versification.) Act: A major section of a play. Acts are divided into varying numbers of shorter scenes. From ancient times to the nineteenth century plays were generally constructed of five acts, but modern works typically consist of one, two, or three acts. Examples of five-act plays include the works of Sophocles and Shakespeare, while the plays of Arthur Miller commonly have a three-act structure. (Compare with Scene.) (See also drama.) Acto: A one-act Chicano theater piece developed out of collective improvisation. Actos were performed by members of Luis Valdezs Teatro Campesino in California during the mid-1960s. Aestheticism: A literary and artistic movement of the nineteenth century. Followers of the movement believed that art should not be mixed with social, political, or mo