Drama Literary Terms

ACT

a major unit or division of a play

ALLUSION

a word or phrase that makes reference to another place, person, story or event, thereby bringing to mind other, related ideas

ANTAGONIST

the opponent of the main character of a drama

ANTIHERO

a protagonist/hero who does not have the heroic qualities of the traditional protagonist

ANTITHESIS

two opposing ideas put in the same sentence or phrase to emphasize their contrast (ex: small step, giant leap)

ASIDE

a brief remark or passage spoken by a character directly to the audience (or to themselves), which other characters on stage are not supposed to hear, revealing private thoughts, feelings, or commentary

CARTHARSIS

an action that leads to purging (releasing) of strong emotions, such as fear and pity, to achieve a sense of relief

CHARACTERISATION

the ways in which a writer creates or constructs a fictional character

CHORUS

a group of performers who sing, dance, or recite in unison; in Greek drama, the chorus was the group of performers who sang and danced between episodes, narrated off-stage action, and commented on events

COMEDY

a play that treats characters and situations in a humorous way. In Shakespeare's time, a comedy was any play with a happy ending that typically told the story of a likable character's rise to fortune.

CONFLICT

the internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that creates dramatic tension

CONTEXT

the relationship between a text and its historical, social, and cultural backgrounds

DENOUEMENT

the unraveling/solution/conclusion of the plot of a play

DIALECT

language and grammar specific to a particular race, group, or culture

DIALOGUE

spoken conversation used by two or more characters to express thoughts, feelings, and actions

DRAMATIC IRONY

situations where the audience knows something that the characters do not; irony occurs when the characters say or do something in ignorance of the truth

DRAMATIC STRUCTURE

the organization of a dramatic text or passage, its shape or development over the course of the play, including aspects of time, order of events, and plot devices

EPILOGUE

a summary speech delivered at the end of a play that explains or comments on the action

FARCE

a type of dramatic comedy that aims to provoke laughter amongst the audience through humorous situations, extensive exaggeration, and violent physical humor

FLAT CHARACTER

a character who doesn't develop or change over the course of a play

FOIL

a character whose traits, values, or motivations contrast with the protagonist, without the intent of causing conflict like the antagonist. They are usually a friend/ally

FORESHADOW

an indication beforehand of something that is about to happen

GENRES

in drama, the different types of play (such as tragedy, comedy, history) and their different characteristics and conventions

HEMISTICHOMYTHIA

a dramatic technique that involves two characters taking turns speaking in alternating half/short lines in order to share a single line of verse

JUXTAPOSITION

two opposing ideas put in the same sentence or phrase to emphasize their contrast or similarity

METAPHOR

a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things by saying one is the other (without 'like' or 'as'), transferring qualities to create deeper meaning, vivid imagery, and to explain abstract ideas

MONOLOGUE

a long speech made by one actor; a monologue may be delivered alone or in the presence of others

MOOD

the tone or feeling of the play, often engendered by the music, setting, or lighting

MOTIVATION

the wants, needs, or beliefs that cause a character to act or react in a particular way

MOTIVE

the objectives of a character; such as the need to be loved or admired

MULTIFACETED

having many sides, aspects, or faces

NON-VERBAL

not to do with words; in this case, coming from the actor's physical performance rather than what they say

ONOMATOPOEIA

words or phrases that sound like the things they describe

PARADOX

two opposing ideas put in the same sentence or phrase to reveal a deeper, unexpected truth (ex: less is more)

PERSONIFICATION

the attribution of human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract concepts

POLEMIC

a powerful attack, often written, on someone or some thing to defend a specific opinion

PROLOGUE

a speech which introduces a play

PROPS

short for properties; any article, except costume or scenery, used as part of a dramatic production; any moveable object that appears on stage during a performance

PROTAGONIST

the main character or hero in a play or other literary work

PUNS

a type of word-play where the words have more than one meaning or simple, clever dialogue between characters

SATIRE

a play in which sarcasm, irony, and ridicule are used to expose or attack folly or pretension in society

SCENE

a small section or portion of a play

SENSORY RECALL

an acting technique whereby a sight, smell, taste, sound, or feeling is recalled along with its cause and the actor's reaction to it

SETTING

when and where the action of a play takes place

SIMILE

a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid; uses 'like' or 'as' in the comparison

SITUATIONAL IRONY

a discrepancy between expected results and the actual results

SOLILOQUY

a speech given by a character speaking their thoughts aloud, either alone or oblivious of any possible hearers

STAGE DIRECTIONS

instructions in the script that tell the actors what to do and where to move on stage; may also provide information about the setting

STAGING

information given about how the stage should look at various times in the play; also called blocking

STATUS

the level of power a particular character has, which can be external or emotional or physical; status can fluctuate or change in a play

STICHOMYTHIA

a dramatic technique that involves two characters taking turns speaking in alternating lines of verse

SYMBOL

an object or event used in literature to represent something else; often this representation alludes to a deeper meaning

SYMBOLISM

the use of symbolic language, imagery, or color to evoke emotions or ideas

TENSION

the use of symbolic language, imagery, or color to evoke intense emotions or ideas

THEME

the basic idea of a play; the idea, point of view, or perception that binds together a work of art

TRAGEDY

a play depicting man as a victim of destiny. The characteristics of tragedy have evolved over time to include any serious play in which man is a victim of fate, a character flaw, moral weakness, or social pressure.

TRAGIC FLAW

the defect in the tragic hero that leads to his or her fall

TRAGIC HERO

a noble protagonist in a tragedy who possesses admirable qualities but has a fatal flaw or makes a critical error in judgment that leads to their own downfall, evoking pity and fear in the audience

TRICOLON

the use of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses to create a rhythm or emphasis

UNIVERSALITY

the ability to appeal to people regardless of place and time

UTTERANCE

any single unit of speech, which might include sighs, cries, gasps, and so on

VERBAL IRONY

when a writer or speaker says one thing and means something else (often the opposite of what is said)