Drama terms

Act

Large portions of the play.

Antagonist

The character or force that opposes the protagonist and creates conflict and tension.

Aside

A short speech from a character that is spoken directly to the audience.

Catastrophe

The final action that completes the unraveling of the plot in a play.

Catharsis

The use of strong feelings to engage the audience in heavy emotions.

Character Dynamic

How much a character changes throughout the story.

Character Flat

A one dimensional character that doesn’t have a backstory or a lot of depth.

Character Round

A character that is lifelike or complex.

Character Static

A character that doesn’t change throughout the entire story.

Character Shock

When a character surprises the audience.

Climax

The most intense point within a story.

Comedy

Uses amusing characters for the sake of humor and has a happy ending.

Comic relief

A releasing of emotional tension resulting from a comic episode interposed in serious elements.

Conflict

When a character faces an obstacle to their central want or need.

Crisis

A critical moment of decision or action, often the turning point in a character's journey.

Denouement

Another word for the ending.

Deus Ex Machina

A plot device whereby an unsolvable conflict is suddenly resolved by an unexpected event.

Epilogue

The final speech.

Exposition

The introduction or beginning of a story that reveals important background information.

Falling Action

The period of time in a story that follows the climax and leads to the resolution.

Farce

A comedy in which everything is absolutely absurd.

Foil

A literary element that serves as a contrast to the main character.

Hero

The main character in literature.

Hubris

Excessive pride.

In media res

It opens in the middle of the plot rather than the beginning.