Shakespeare Terms Weeks 1 & 2

antagonist

a character in a story or play who opposes the chief character or protagonist

audience

the person(s) reading a text, listening to a speaker, or observing a performance

blank verse

unrhymed iambic pentameter, a line of five poetic feet

characterization

the methods an author uses to acquaint a reader with his or her characters

characters

round, flat, static, dynamic

climax

the decisive point in a story or play when the central problem in the plot must be resolved in one way or another

comedy

a play written primarily to amuse the audience

conflict

the struggle between two opposing forces; may be (1) a person against another person, (2) a person against nature, (3) a person against society, and (4) two elements within a person struggling for mastery

dialect

the form of a language spoken by people in a particular region or group

dialogue

the conversation between two or more people in a literary work

diction

word choice: the choice of a particular word as opposed to others. It may be formal or informal, technical, elaborate, lofty, or simple.

drama

a literary work in verse or prose, written to be acted, that tells a story through the speech and actions of the character(s)

dramatic irony

refers to a situation in which events or facts not known to a character on stage or in a fictional work are known to another character and the audience or reader

foil

a character who provides a contrast to another character

foreshadowing

a hint given to the reader of what is to come

irony

the term used to describe a contrast between what appears to be and what really is

irony of situation

refers to an occurrence that is contrary to what is expected or intended

monologue

a speech made entirely by one person or character

motivation

the portrayal of circumstances and aspects of personality that makes a character's actions and reactions believable

oxymoron

a figure of speech in which two contradictory words or phrases are combined in a single expression, giving the effect of a condensed paradox