AP Lit Drama Literary Terms

soliloquy

a character speaks their thoughts out loud typically while alone on stage

monologue

uninterrupted speech delivered by a single person in a play

aside

a character speaks a brief comment directly to an audience during a play

stichomythia

two characters speak alternating single lines back and forth

hubris

a character having extreme pride or overconfidence that caused them to overstep their limits ultimately leading to their downfall

hamartia

a protagonists tragic flaw that leads them to their downfall

anagnorisis

a transition in a play where a character has a moment of realization

peripeteia

a sudden dramatic reverse of events in fortune or change in play

catharsis

a purging of intense feelings by the audience after experiencing the tragic hero’s downfall

stage directions

written instructions in a play or script that tells actors where to stand, how to move, and how to deliver their lines while also guiding technical elements like lights and sound

fourth wall

an invisible and imaginary barrier between the actors on stage and the audience

chorus

a group of performers who comment on the main action of the play by dancing singing or speaking in unison

enveloping action

the larger world events or societal conditions that influence the story

foil

a character who contrasts with the protagonist to emphasize the main characters traits values or flaws

tragic hero

a character who possesses noble and relatable traits but experiences a tragic downfall from their fatal flaw

anti hero

a protagonist who doesn’t possess any heroic traits yet drives the narrative and gains the audiences trust through underlying complexity