This list includes 6 Literary devices that start with U, from “Ubi sunt” to “Unreliable narrator”. They range from rhetorical motifs to narrative techniques, useful for analysis, teaching, and writing.
Literary devices that start with U are specific techniques authors use to shape meaning, tone, or perspective. For example, the medieval “ubi sunt” motif reflects themes of loss and mortality in elegiac poetry.
Below you’ll find the table with Device, Definition, Example, and Notes.
Device: The name of the literary device; use it to find definitions and examples quickly.
Definition: A concise explanation of the device in plain language so you understand its function and identify it in texts.
Example: A short contextual example shows how the device appears in sentences or passages, helping you spot it in reading.
Notes: Brief notes add historical context, common uses, or tips for teaching and applying the device in your work.
Literary devices that start with U
| Device | Alternate names | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubi sunt | ubi sunt motif; “where are” motif | motif/theme; rhetorical trope | Where are the snows of yesteryear? |
| Uncanny | das Unheimliche; eerie effect | aesthetic effect/theme | A doll that seems alive. |
| Understatement | meiosis; litotes (related subtype) | figure of speech; rhetorical device | Calling a disaster “a bit of a problem.” |
| Unities (classical unities) | classical unities; Aristotelian unities | dramatic principle | A play set in one day, one place, one plot. |
| Unity of effect | unity of impression; single effect | principle of composition | Poe’s tales that sustain one mood throughout. |
| Unreliable narrator | untrustworthy narrator; fallible narrator | narrative technique | A narrator who admits to lying about events. |