Drama Terms 2 English IV

anagnorisis

sudden understanding; EUREKA moment

hamartia

tragic flaw; ex: hamlet’s indecisiveness

hubris

overconfidence & pride; tragic flaw of Oedipus

nemesis

a character’s enemy or inevitable punishment for wrong doing

peripeteia

reversal of fortune

mise en scene

term for actual staging of a performance; including any scenery or properties or actors & actresses

round character

character’s who are fully developed and life like

• appearance, bckg, personality, and identity

flat characters

characters in a drama characterized only by their role or a minor action. these characters are fine in a drama where they are serving a specific purpose

mystery or miracle plays

play common in the middle ages; initially dramatized a biblical story about a saint’s life, later included secular material with very little that could be termed religious.

morality plays

play also constructed in middle ages which were established as allegorical dramatizations of the conflict between good and evil, including stock chars such as “Everyman,” “Greed,” etc.

allegory

extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. an allegory is a story with 2 meanings— literal and symbolic meaning.

masque or mask

renaissance plays constructed specifically for the entertainment of court and performed by noblemen and women. they are lavish, dignified productions that are usually allegorical or mythological.

antimasque

also a Renaissance production presenting a grotesque dance of monsters or clowns performed by professionals

pastoral

Renaissance drama having to do with shepherds or rural life; focuses on the idealization of rural life

comedy of manners

dramatic form popular during the Restoration (1660-1770s), often cynical in tone, that involves much witty repartee. common themes include love, marriage, and romance presented in a silly manner; portrays people as selfish, pleasure-loving, and skeptical of traditions

commedia dell’arte

dramatic comedy featuring stock chars such as the young lovers, clever servants performed by italian acting troops who improvised as they performed

sentimental comedy and drama

developed at the end of the Restoration period where man is shown as basically good and a few evil characters repent

melodrama

popular in the 19th century where characters who are clearly good or evil are pitted against each other in situations made to create suspense accompanied by music; virtue always triumphs

problem plays

twentieth century form of drama that involves the audience in a social problem in some sort