Drama Terms

Act

The primary division in a play, made

up of shorter scenes

Antagonist

A character or force which the main

character struggles against

Aside

When a character says something to

the audience that isnʼt heard by the

other characters on stage

Chorus

A group of performers (especially in a

Greek tragedy) who act comment on

the action without participating

Their purpose is to underscore the

moral themes, actions, character

development, and messages of a story

to the audience

Comedy

A dramatic work that depicts amusing

incidents and in which the main

theme is triumph over adverse

circumstances

Dialogue

A conversation between two or more

characters

Dynamic character

A character who undergoes an

important internal change or

development during the play

Foil

A character who contrasts with

another character (usually the

protagonist) to highlight specific

traits, strengths, or weaknesses

Foreshadowing

Clues used to alert the audience about

events that will occur later; used to

build suspense

Fourth Wall

The invisible division between the

characters and the audience

Hubris

The arrogant pride in a character that

will ultimately lead to their downfall

Monologue

A long speech by one actor or

character, delivered without

interruption from other characters

Motivation

A characterʼs main drive, purpose, or

reason for doing somethin

Plot

The events of the play

Prologue

A speech that introduces background

information or characters for the

audience

Protagonist

The main character, who makes key

decisions that affect the plot

Scene

A dramatic part of a story, at a specific

time and place, between specific

characters

Stage Directions

Instructions provided to actors and

crew that include descriptions of

character appearances and

movements; lighting, sound, scenery,

and props on stage.

Identified in scripts by ITALICIZED text

Static Character

A character who undergoes no change

during the play

Subplot

A parallel or smaller side story that

coexists with the main story of the

play

Tragedy

A type of serious drama that tells the

story of a high-status or heroic

character who experiences a downfall

from good fortune to misery, often

ending in death or ruin

Tragic Flaw

A weakness in the hero, such as pride,

greed, or jealousy, that leads to their

downfall