Literary Devices and Dramatic Terms Flashcards

A complete set of practice flashcards covering literary devices, poetic structures, and character types based on the lecture transcript.

What is an allusion?

A reference to a well-known person, event, story, or work outside the play that the audience is expected to recognize.

How is an aside defined?

A short comment spoken by a character that is heard by the audience but supposedly not by the other characters on stage.

What is blank verse?

Unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter, which is how much of Shakespeare’s dialogue is written.

What is hyperbole?

Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or dramatic effect.

What characterizes iambic pentameter?

A poetic meter with ten syllables per line, alternating unstressed and stressed syllables (five iambs). Example: “But SOFT, what LIGHT through YONder WINdow BREAKS?”

What is a double entendre?

A phrase with two meanings, often one innocent and one suggestive or humorous.

What is a malapropism?

The mistaken use of a word that sounds similar to the intended word, often creating humor.

How is a metaphor described?

A comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”

What is an oxymoron?

A combination of contradictory words or ideas, such as “sweet sorrow.”

What is a monologue?

A long speech delivered by one character to other characters or the audience.

How is prose used in Shakespeare's plays?

It is ordinary language without a regular poetic rhythm or meter, often used for common characters or informal conversations.

What is a pun?

A play on words that exploits multiple meanings or similar sounds for humor or effect.

What is a rhyming couplet?

Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme, often used by Shakespeare to signal the end of a scene.

What is a soliloquy?

A speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud while alone on stage, revealing their inner feelings to the audience.

What is the definition of verse?

Writing arranged in lines with a regular rhythm or meter; poetry.

What is a dynamic character?

A character who undergoes significant change throughout the story.

What is a static character?

A character who remains largely unchanged throughout the story.

What is a stock character?

A stereotypical, easily recognizable character type that appears repeatedly in literature and drama.

What is suspension of disbelief?

The audience’s willingness to accept unrealistic events or situations as believable while experiencing a story.

What is the fourth wall?

The imaginary wall separating the actors from the audience. When a character speaks directly to the audience, they are said to “break the fourth wall.”