Commonly, the term Literary Devices refers to the typical structures used by writers in their works to convey his or her message(s) in a simple manner to his or her readers.  When employed properly, the different literary devices help readers to appreciate, interpret and analyze a literary work.

Two Kinds of Literary Devices Literary Devices have two aspects. They can be treated as either Literary Elements or Literary Techniques. It will be convenient to define them separately.

Literary Elements have an inherent existence in literary piece and are extensively employed by writers to develop a literary piece e.g. plot, setting, narrative structure, characters, mood, theme, moral etc. Writers simply cannot create his desired work without including Literary Elements in a thoroughly professional manner.

Literary Techniques, on the contrary, are structures usually a word s or phrases in literary texts that writers employ to achieve not merely artistic ends but also readers a greater understanding and appreciation of their literary works. Examples are:  metaphor, simile, alliteration, hyperbole, allegory etc. In contrast to Literary Elements, Literary Techniques are not unavoidable aspect of literary works.

To have a better understanding of Literary Devices, it is useful to look at their definition and examples:

Common Literary Elements

1. Plot: It is the logical sequence of events that develops a story.
2. Setting: It refers to the time and place in which a story takes place.
3. Protagonist: It is the  main character of story, novel or a play e.g. Hamlet in the play Hamlet
4. Antagonist: It is the character in conflict with the Protagonist e.g. Claudius in the play Hamlet
5. Narrator: A person who tells the story.
6. Narrative method: The manner in which a narrative is presented comprising plot and setting.
7. Dialogue: Where characters of a narrative speak to one another.
8. Conflict. It is n issue in a narrative around which the whole story revolves.
9. Mood: A general atmosphere of a narrative.
10. Theme: It is central idea or concept of a story.

Common Literary Techniques 1. Imagery: It is the use of figurative language to create visual representations of actions, objects and ideas in our mind in such a way that they appeal to our physical senses. For example:

• The room was dark and gloomy. -The words “dark” and “gloomy” are visual images.
• The river was roaring in the mountains. – The word “roaring” appeals to our sense of hearing.

2. Simile and Metaphor: Both compare two distinct objects and draws similarity between them. The difference is that Simile uses “as” or “like” and Metaphor does not. For example:

• “My love is like a red red rose” (Simile)
• He is an old fox very cunning. (Metaphor)

3. Hyperbole: It is deliberate exaggeration of actions and ideas for the sake of emphasis. For example:

• Your bag weighs a ton!
• I have got a million issues to look after!

4. Personification: It gives a thing, an idea or an animal human qualities. For example:

• The flowers are dancing beside the lake.
• Have you see my new car? She is a real beauty!

5. Alliteration: It refers to the same consonant sounds in words coming together. For example:

• Better butter always makes the batter better.
• She sells seashells at seashore.

6. Allegory: It is a literary technique in which an abstract idea is given a form of characters, actions or events. For example:

• “Animal Farm”, written by George Orwell, is an example allegory using the actions of animals on a farm to represent the overthrow of the last of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Communist Revolution of Russia before WW II.  In addition, the actions of the animals on the farm are used to expose the greed and corruption of the Revolution.

7. Irony: It is use of the words in such a way in which the intended meaning is completely opposite to their literal meaning. For example:

• The bread is soft as a stone.
• So nice of you to break my new PSP!

Function of Literary Devices In general, the literary devices are a collection of universal artistic structures that are so typical of all works of literature frequently employed by the writers to give meanings and a logical framework to their works through language.  When such works are read by readers, they ultimately recognize and appreciate them. Because of their universality, they also allow the readers to compare a work of one writer to that of the other to determine its worth. They not only beautify the piece of literature but also give deeper meanings to it, testing the very understanding of the readers along with providing them enjoyment of reading. Besides, they help motivating readers’ imagination to visualize the characters and scenes more clearly.

 alliteration the repetition of the initial consonant sound in words

assonance the repetition of vowel sounds

consonance the repetition of consonant sounds in the middle or at the end of words

enjambment when the writer uses line breaks meaningfully and abruptly to either emphasize a point or to create dual meanings

imagery when the writer or speaker uses their descriptions to access the senses of the reader of listener

repetition when the writer or speaker knowingly repeats a word or group of words for effect

rhyme when the end or final sound of two or more words are identical

rhythm when the arrangement of words creates an audible pattern or beat when read out loud

onomatopoeia when the words sound like what they mean

idiom an accepted phrase or expression having a meaning different from the literal

simile a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with 'like' or 'as')

metaphor a comparison between two unlike things

hyperbole a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor

personification representing an abstract quality or idea as a person or creature

meter a pattern of stressed/unstressed syllables in poetry

end rhyme rhyme that occurs at the end of two or more lines of poetry

allegory a story, play, or picture in which characters or settings are used as symbols or abstract ideas

allusion a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize

slant rhyme two words that have some sound in common but do not rhyme exactly

tone the attitude a writer takes towards a subject, character, or the reader

internal rhyme rhyme that occurs within a line, rather than at the end

diction a writer's or speaker's choice of words

oxymoron an expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined

cacophony loud, harsh, or disagreeable sounds

blank verse poetic form written in unrhymed iambic pentameter

free verse poetic form that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme

ballad a type of poem that is meant to be sung and is both lyric and narrative in nature

colloquial language informal language; language that is "conversational"

euphemism an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant

elegy A sad or mournful poem, especially one mourning the dead

irony a contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens

foil two characters that highlight each other by their differences

foreshadowing the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot

juxtaposition placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast

lyric a short poem of songlike quality

monologue a speech made by one actor or speaker

ode a poem usually addressed to a particular person, object or event that has stimulated deep and noble feelings in the poet

paradox an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth

pun a play on words, often achieved through the use of words with similar sounds but different meanings

rhetorical question a question asked for an effect, not actually requiring an answer

sarcasm harsh words intended to hurt someone

satire a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision

symbol something that stands for or represents something else

understatement saying less than one means, for effect

wit intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights

stream of consciousness a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind

sonnet Fourteen-line poem that is usually written in iambic pentameter and has one of several rhyme schemes.

epiphany a moment of sudden realization or insight

epitaph an inscription on a tombstone or monument in memory of the person buried there

atmosphere The emotional mood created by a literary work