RBSE SS Gujarati Literature key terms

Aesthetic relish or emotional essence that a reader experiences through a literary work; classical theory recognizes nine rasas such as shringara, karuna, and vira, each arising from a dominant emotion.

Poetic figure or ornament that enhances beauty and meaning in literature; divided into shabd alankara (sound-based, e.g., anuprasa) and artha alankara (sense-based, e.g., upama).

Simile; a figure where one object is compared to another of a different class using words like 'like' or 'as', highlighting a shared quality without identifying them.

Metaphor; a figure where the upameya (subject) and upamana (object of comparison) are identified as one, often through implied or direct equation rather than explicit comparison.

Alliteration; repetition of the same consonant sound in close succession within a line or phrase, creating musicality and emphasis in poetry.

A sound-based figure where the same word or syllable is repeated with different meanings in close proximity, producing a punning effect and verbal artistry.

A sense-based figure in which a single word or phrase yields two or more compatible meanings, often used for wit, ambiguity, or layered suggestion.

Emotion or feeling that is the raw material of rasa; in classical poetics, the stable emotions (sthayibhava) combine with determinants, consequents, and transitory emotions to produce aesthetic relish.

Permanent or dominant emotion such as love, grief, or heroism that persists in the mind and, when activated by poetic elements, matures into the corresponding rasa.

Suggested meaning or poetic resonance that goes beyond the literal and figurative senses; central to Anandavardhana's theory, it is considered the soul of poetry.

Oblique or deviant expression; Kuntaka's theory that poetic language gains beauty through intentional turns of speech that differ from ordinary usage, encompassing various levels of phonetic and semantic deviation.

Phonetic combination or junction of sounds at word boundaries; in Gujarati grammar, it describes changes such as vowel coalescence or consonant assimilation when morphemes or words join.

Compound word formation where two or more stems combine into a single grammatical unit; types include dvandva, tatpurusha, bahuvrihi, and avyayibhava, each with specific semantic relations.

Synonym; a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word in a given context, useful for vocabulary expansion and precise expression.

Antonym; a word expressing a meaning opposite to that of another word, often used in questions testing lexical relationships and contextual appropriateness.

Idiom; a fixed, conventional expression whose meaning cannot be derived from the literal sense of its words, reflecting cultural usage and often tested for appropriate contextual use.

Proverb; a traditional saying that conveys practical wisdom or folk observation, often metaphorical and handed down orally, useful in essays and expansion of ideas.

Grammar; the system of rules governing the structure of a language, including morphology, syntax, and phonology, essential for accurate composition and language usage questions.

Essay; a structured prose composition on a chosen topic, typically including introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, assessed for coherence, content, and language.

Letter writing; formal and informal correspondence following conventions such as proper salutation, body, and closing, tested for format, tone, and clarity.

Precis or summary; a concise restatement of the main ideas of a passage in one's own words, preserving essential meaning while reducing length, often with a word limit.

Expansion of ideas; a writing task that develops a given proverb, quotation, or thought into a coherent paragraph or short essay, illustrating its meaning with examples.

Report writing; a factual account of an event, meeting, or activity, organized with headings and objective language, often required in composition sections.

Metre; the rhythmic pattern of syllables in poetry, including fixed syllabic metres and quantitative measures, governing the musical structure of verse.

A lyric poetic form of Persian-Arabic origin adapted into Gujarati, composed of couplets with a recurring rhyme and refrain, often expressing love, longing, or philosophical reflection.

A couplet form in Gujarati poetry, typically two lines with a caesura, used for aphoristic or devotional content; associated with medieval saint-poets and later adapted by modern poets.

Devotional song; a lyric poem sung in praise of a deity, often simple in metre and repeated in refrain, central to bhakti poetry and folk religious practice.

Short story; a brief narrative of prose fiction with a unified plot, few characters, and a single dominant effect, often ending with a twist or epiphany.

Prose essay; a non-fictional composition that explores a theme through reasoned argument, personal reflection, or exposition, distinguished from the examination essay by literary style.

Character sketch or portrait; a prose piece that portrays a person's personality, habits, and essence through anecdote and descriptive detail, often humorous or affectionate.

Drama; a literary work intended for performance, structured in acts and scenes, driven by dialogue and conflict, and involving stage directions and character interaction.

One-act play; a short dramatic work with a single act, a small cast, and a concentrated plot that usually builds to a single climax or revelation.

Dialogue; the spoken exchanges between characters in a play, which advance plot, reveal character, and create dramatic tension; also a compositional form in prose.

Character; a person represented in a literary work, defined by traits, motives, and relationships; in drama, characters are revealed primarily through dialogue and action.

Medieval Gujarati literature, roughly from the 12th to the 19th century, marked by devotional and narrative poetry, Jain and bhakti influences, and poets such as Narasimha Mehta and Mirabai.

Devotional era in Gujarati literature, spanning roughly the 15th to 17th centuries, characterized by poetry of surrender and love for the divine, with saint-poets composing bhajans, padas, and kirtans.

Modern Gujarati literature, generally from the mid-19th century onward, shaped by Western education, reform movements, and genres such as the novel, short story, and free verse.

Literary criticism; the analysis and evaluation of literary works using theoretical frameworks such as rasa, alankara, and dhvani, or modern approaches like formalism and reader response.