Feb 03 2009
Literary terms –5
Canto- It is a division of a very long poem- especially epic. It comes from the Sanskrit word “Kanda” which means chapter. Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” could be taken as an example.
Caricature- in literature it refers to a method of describing people by which certain characteristics are exaggerated and others are over simplified. These could be either an insult or a compliment and are generally humorous.
Catastrophe- A tragic plot would traditionally turn “downwards” for worse. This turn was called catastrophe.
Catharsis: The signature of a good tragedy, catharsis, purifies or purges the emotions by providing an outlet. The tears that came out at the end of a tragedy were considered the ultimate purgation of self.
