Welcome to the Video Dictionary of Literary Terms! 

This is a series of bite-size  concise (~3 minutes each) videos introducing both literary terms with examples from renowned literary classics, designed for introductory literature classes.  

Teachers can utilize these videos by specific terms or by literary works, in class or through pre-class or self-study activities.  

Students can (re)watch relevant videos pre- or post-class to consolidate their understanding. Students managing demanding schedules can grasp essential ideas of the works/terms through the videos as well.  

Unlike similar resources available online, our videos provide contextualized and dramatic representations of the terms. For example, our videos feature J.D. Salinger counselling Holden Caulfield to explain “Plot and Bildungsroman”; and Odysseus from Homer’s Odyssey walking through the narrative to explain “epic”. These imaginary dialogues between the author, characters, and viewers/students, establish vivid settings and scenes that enrich students’ understanding of the literary terms.  

Nonetheless, it is helpful for teachers to remind students that the literary terms are just tools for analytical and descriptive purposes, and they do not necessarily reflect writers’ explicit intentions. Such awareness can empower students to develop their own analytical perspectives as they advance through their literary studies.  

The Video Dictionary of Literary Terms is a project of the Department of Literature and Cultural Studies at the Education University of Hong Kong.