REET Handwritten Notes: Literary Terms

REET Handwritten Notes on Literary Terms including Elegy, Sonnet, Short Story, and Drama. Clear definitions and examples for easy understanding and exam preparation.

  • Elegy
  • Sonnet
  • short story
  • drama

In this post we will discuss about Elegy short story and sonnet. We will discuss about drama in next post so please go to home are click on English notes and read drama topic there. We are going to discuss Sonnet and Elegy first.

Sonnet

We can understand sonnet in very simple way. Sonnet is a short poem which contains 14 lines. Sonnet was originated in Italy. Sonnet’s prime theme was love and these are written in Iambic pentameter. Thomas Wyatt brought sonnet from Italy to England. Surrey introduced sonnet into England. These are two types – 1. Italian Sonnet 2. English Sonnet

Italian Sonnet these are divided into two parts. First eight lines are called Octave. After eight lines there is a mark which is called Caesura ( that is called the change into thoughts ) . Rhyming scheme of this sonnet is abba abba . Last six lines are called Seslet. the rhyming scheme of this is cde cde , cde dce, cdc dcd. Examples – on his blindness, on his 23rd birthday, when the assault was intented.

English Sonnet- These are called Shakespearean sonnet, those are belonging to England. It is divided in three quarter followed by a couplet which is cold heroic couplet also. Rhyming scheme is abab cdcd efef gg . Examples are Shall I compare thee, when to the session.

Spenserian sonnet – It was divided by Edmund spencer. It is also divided into three quadrants followed by a heroic couplet. Rhyming scheme of Spenserian sonnet is abab bcbc cdcd ee. Example are Ice and fire.

Sonnet collections

  1. Wyatt and Surrey
  2. Tottle’s Miscellany ( It was the first sonnet collection of English Literature)
  3. Philip Sidney – Astrophel Stella
  4. Edmund Spenser – Amoretti
  5. Shakespeare 154126 for his friend, 26 for his beloved dark lady
  6. John Donne
  7. Daniel
  8. Drayton
  9. Milton 24 sonnet ( 19 Italian and 5 English)

Elegy

An Elegy is a poem which is written over the death of someone near and dear. It is a mournful song. It is a solemn meditation of an lamentation or mourning. An elegy shows sense of loss. The tone of an elegy never be judged by its stanza form but it can be judged by its subject matter. The mood of the poet while writing an elegy is reflective , melancholic , thoughtful, pensive, sad , and gloomy. An elegy is a reflective poem. Examples are Lycidas , Adonis, In memoriam by Tennyson, Thyrsis.

Pastoral Elegy – In these type of elegy a poet consider himself a shepherd and moons over the death of his fellow shepherd and the nature also joins this mourning. it moves around shepherds, farmers and rural and rustic areas. Basically it includes Lament of nature, procession of mourners, passage of flowers, digression. Example are Elegy written is country churchyard, the wood is bare, rugby chapel, summer night, Lycidas, Adonis, Thyrsis.

Non serious Elegy – These elegies which are written on trivial or insignificant subjects. Examples are Elegy on the death of my mad dog by Oliver goldsmith. Elegy on the death of my favorite cat by Thomas gray , In memory of WB Yeats – WH Auden

You can download Elegy pdf here – Download now

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