Comedy
A literary work that is amusing, moves from chaos to order and happiness, usually shown through marriage
Tragedy
A drama that reveals the unfortunate downfall of a person. Tragedy moves towards chaos until order is somewhat restored through the misfortune, usually death or exile, of the tragic hero
Set
The background, furniture, and stationary items on stage
Props
Items used in a play, such as a sword
Staging
How things look on stage — where actors stand, entrances and exits, set, props, lighting, sound, etc
Stage Direction
A playwrights comment’s that provide information about how things are said, acted, gestured, or staged.
Chorus
A group of characters in a Greek tragedy who comment on the action of a play, often while performing a formalized dance to convey a communal emotion. The chorus would move in one direction (strophe) while presenting one side or idea and then move in the other direction (antistrophe) while presenting an opposing idea
Tragic Flaw
A character trait or mistake in the protagonist of a tragedy that leads to a downfall, usually death or exile
Hamartia
A criminal act committed in ignorance or for the sake of the greater good (tragic flaw, “missing the mark”)
Hubris
Excessive pride, thinking oneself above humans or as one of the gods
Catharsis
A term used by Aristotle to describe an emotional release experienced by the audience at the end of a tragedy
Monologue
A long speech spoken by one character
Soliloquy
A monologue that a character speaks alone to himself revealing thoughts and feelings to the audience
Aside
An actor in a play that says something that other characters in the play aren’t supposed to hear, but the audience can
Apostrophe
A speech or address to a person who is not present or to a personified object
anthromorphism
the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object
Gesture
A sign that communicates a character’s action, state of mind and relationship with other characters to an audience
tenor
The part of the metaphor that is being used for comparison (thing being described)
Vehicle
The image that carries the weight of the comparison (language you use to describe it)