Glossary of Literary Terms

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dactyl: A stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones, as in "screwdriver" (see foot).

denotation: The direct and literal meaning of a word or phrase (as distinct from its implication). Compare connotation.

dramatic poetry: Poetry written in the voice of one or more characters assumed by the poet. For example, Geoffrey Chaucer´s Canterbury Tales are dramatic narratives.

dramatic monologue: A poem written in the voice of a character, set in a specific situation, and spoken to someone. This form is most strongly identified with poems of Robert Browning (e.g., "My Last Duchess" [1842]); see also Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "Ulysses" (1842).