Ibarra Midterm Vocabulary

antipathy

antipathy

a deep-seated dislike

idyll

an extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque episode or scene, typically an idealized or unsustainable one

spass

literally “fun” in German, used by Brecht to make the audience laugh, and then question why they laugh

ersatz

cheap imitation

dogsbody

someone given boring tasks to do, but in this case it’s a servant

hamartia

“fatal flaw” that leads to the hero’s/heroine’s downfall

epiphany

a big realization

shrewd

clever or cunning, usually seen as a negative term

plaintive

sounding sad or mournful

esoteric

intended to be understood by only a select group of people

chiaroscuro

the use of light and dark contrasts in art to create a sense of volume, mood, and atmosphere

oxymoron

two consecutive words that are opposites of each other

sheaves

bundles of something, usually associated with wheat

equanimity

mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation

ineffable

cannot be described in words

recant

withdraw something

sundry

various or diverse

V-effect

the distancing effect used by Brecht to alienate the reader from the play’s emotional aspects

blithe

carefree, without thought

bourgeois

having, reflecting, or relating to conventional tastes, opinions, and values believed to be determined mainly by a concern for respectability and material wealth