english midterm terms

freytag's pyramid

the overall structure of a story

flashback

when a character remembers a past experience that relates to their present situation

sophocles

a playwright of greek tragedy, famous for writing oedipus the king and antigone

foil

two characters of the same given circumstances but with two opposite outlooks and/or personalities

conflict

a problem the protagonist faces

exposition

sets the scene and informs the reader of the given circumstances

thespis

the first person to step out of the chorus and become the first actor

the chorus

the creepy group that recites backstory and builds and relieves tension in the plot through poetry, song, and dance

rising action

the lead up to the climax of the story

in medias res

when a story begins in the middle of conflict

archetype

a very typical, recurring example of a certain person or thing

dionysus

the god of wine, parties, and theater, often referenced in greek tragedy

choragos

a wealthy athenian citizen who watches greek theater

climax

the moment of highest tension

narrator

a character who recount the events of a story

tragic hero

an originally praised hero who later falls from grace

situational irony

when the something occurs that has the opposite outcome of what was expected

falling action

the following events of the climax

first-person narrator

when the protagonist tells the story

tragic flaw

a trait that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero

dramatic irony

when the audience knows more details than the characters

resolution

the ending of the story (does not have to be happy)

third-person narrator

narration from an outside perspective

hubris

excessive pride

skene

the dressing room/backstage

initiation story

a story thats overall plot is to put the protagonist through a certain type of experience

omniscient narrator

all-knowing narrator

hamartia

a fatal misstep

proscenium

the stage

archetypal plot

recognizable patterns and story plots that are repeatedly used throughout storytelling

setting

where the story takes place

joy before catastrophe

where the good in something leads to an eventual catastrophe

parodos

the side entrance to the stage and orchestra

protagonist

the main character of a story

theme

the overall message of a story

verisimilitude

the belief that all events of stage could be real

deus ex machina

a crane device used to lower a character portraying a god onto the stage

antagonist

the person out to ruin the protagonist's life

allegory

a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning

peripeteia

a sudden reversal in circumstance in a story

flat character

a one-dimensional character

figurative language

language used in stories that is not literal

mutability

liability or tendency to change

round character

deeply layered character

metaphor

a figure of speech in which a word/phrase is applied to an object/action in which it is not literally applicable

catharsis

the emotion produced by greek tragedy

static character

a character who does not change over the course of the story

simile

a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing to another

moment of recognition

the moment in which the protagonist makes a crucial discvery

dynamic character

a character who changes over the course of the story

symbol

a mark or character used as a representation of an object, function, or process

foreshadowing

a warning or indication of a future event