A List of New Literary Devices

1. Ekphrastic Motabilem – Detailing the process of creating a work of art, or describing the process of skilled work. More specifically, utilizing Ekphrasis through describing the art form or skilled work in its process. Otherwise called “Ekphrasis”, but more technically called Ekphrastic Motabilem.

2. Hyperloxy or pl. Hyperloxa – An oxymoron expressed through hyperbole, to especially emphasize the last statement and make it stronger than the previous statement, which otherwise should be stronger.

1. Example: “He is not very wise, but has an infinite wit.”
2. Example: “Jude, he is not so strong, yet unrivaled in might.” Neifert, B. K.. Fairyland, “The Children’s Crusade”. Kindle Direct, 2020.

3. A Vulgar – When taking something that usually isn’t vulgar, or even taking a Euphemism, and making it vulgar through tone.

1.  1. Example: From Wordsworth’s “Transubstantiation”: “And, while the Host is raised, its elevation/ An awe and supernatural horror breeds,”

4. Cantor – When a work breaks into a text with a voice dissimilar to the one established throughout the work, intentionally or unintentionally. Especially where it can be readily noticed. Derived from the word “Cantor” a responsive hymn, where the solo is the break in voice, and the choir is the established voice.

1. Example:  The Gospel of John as opposed to the Synoptic Gospels.
2. Example: The Egyptian Maid or White Doe of Rylstone by Wordsworth, as opposed to the rest of his body of Work, reflects stories in the forms of Southey or Coleridge.
3. Example: The Last few segments of The Riddle in the Sea, by B. K. Neifert, where the form breaks to create an added effect of suspense.
4. Example: The use of “Mirkwood” in Tolkien’s The Fall of Arthrur.

5. The Objective Other – An objective characterization where an artist portrays what appears to be a specific individual, yet the individual portrayed in the piece is meant to apply generally. Not to be confused with a Character; however, some characters are examples of The Objective Other.

1. Example: Anna Karenina in Tolstoy’s titular piece.
2. Example: George Wickham in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
3. Example: Christian in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.

6. Nominal Symbolism – A kind of symbolism where the name of a prominent historical figure, town or god is used to represent an archetypal story. Sometimes where the symbol relates to a specific individual.

1. Example: “Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.” King James Bible Isaiah 46:1
2. Example: “Tell me, Lydia, by all the gods I beg you, why you are in such a hurry to destroy Sybaris with your love.” Horace. The Complete Odes and Epodes. Translated by David West. Oxford University Press, 2008. (pp. 32.)
3. Example: Xenophanes, you poetically and surgically/Weave your origins of doubt. Neifert, B. K.. My Collected Writings. Kindle Direct, 2021.

7.The Significant Other – A specialized Characterization used to represent more unique or idiosyncratic character traits. The Character has traits which are not intended to be a universal paragon, or type of universal personality. Usually the traits are unique and are not meant to be examplar. Not to be confused with character, though some characters can be examples of the significant other.

1. Example: Pilar in Earnest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls
2. Example: Eliza and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (Despite what the novel’s title assumes, the work wasn’t originally titled “Pride and Prejudice” but was aptly named by the publisher.)
3. Example: Pierre and Andre in War and Peace

Author’s Note: I’ve come to recognize that my two species of characters are hard to derive specific examples for. However, the Significant Other and the Objective Other can both simultaneously be present in a Character. The question remains whether the character is expressly unique, or if the character is expressly a paragon. I’ve been poring over good literature, and have found most of the best authors combine both attributes into their characters, while the less skilled authors lack both of these qualities. The range is less like a spectrum, and more like a a graph. There are characters which display both behaviors positively—and these are among the best literature has to offer—and then there are the characters who display none of the qualities. And of course there are characters that display more of one quality than another, or less of one than another. So on so forth.

8. Second Person Figure: A character who is only referred to as “You” within a poem or other work of literature.

1. Example: Shakespearean Sonnet 54: Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so;/ Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odors made./ And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth,/ When that shall vade, by verse distils your truth.
2. Example: Psalm 55:13: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.