Drama Vocabulary words – Flashcards
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introduction
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Opening scenes of a play, background info presented, info critical to understanding the present action.
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mood
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emotional tone prevailing in a literary work. atmosphere is the feeling that a literary work conveys to readers.
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foreshadowing
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hints that suggest what is to come later- typically introduced early in a story
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soliloquy
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speech delivered by a character who is alone on the stage. utters thoughts aloud, a way to inform the audience of motivations and state of mind.
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aside
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short comments directed to the audience not audible to other characters on stage. also reveals thoughts and feelings
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foil character
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a character who serves as a contrast or a conflict to another character, similar to the protagonist, serves to highlight the distinctive temperament of the protagonist.
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tragedy
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Recounts downfall. begin high and end low. He/she possess a tragic flaw, an error, weakness, or defect that leads to his downfall such as greed, pride, or ambition. ends in catharsis
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revenge Tragedy
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basically a murder that has to be avenged by a relative of the victim. typically ghost demands revenge and madness, deaths.
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dramatic irony
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seems to be true and what one would expect to be true. occurs when fats are not know to the characters in a work but are known by the audience. used in drama
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farce
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comedy - slapstick, extravagant dialogue, unlikely plot. absurd, exaggerated characters, involves rapid shifts in action and emotion, as well as
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satire
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ridiculing a folly or vice in order to expose or correct it. usually human frailty, people, institutions, ideas. Evokes amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation.
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irony
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contradictory statements or situations to reveal a reality different or the opposite of what appears to be true.
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verbal irony
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says something in jest that in actuality is true. or means something different than what is said or the audience realizes. Ex. saying the opposite of what you mean / sarcasm.
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dramatic irony
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facts are not known to the characters but are known by the audience. Ex. Claudius confesses in prayers, but Hamlet is unaware.
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situational irony
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happens, what is expected and actually happens. due to forces beyond human comprehension or control.
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verbal humor
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play on words - laughter is evoked through a
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physical humor
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behavior or physical characteristics of characters. exaggerated, outrageous & laughter evoked through
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satirical humor
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amusement, facts generated by some difference between facts known to the audience and the beliefs of the character.
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epigram
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a short poem or verse that seeks to ridicule a thought or event, usually with witticism or sarcasm. Verbal joke
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protagonist
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main character, one who plays the first part, "chief actor")
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drama
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printed text of the play. Imitated human action - a play, "to do or to act". includes play text, dialogue and stage directions ....to please, to instruct
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theater
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seeing place - actual production, location for plays...
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prose play
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play - ordinary spoken speech ; lacks special features of poetry..
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verse play
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play - dialogue written in rhythmic lines equal length
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genre
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a type or category of literature. The four main literary genres include: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. ...
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conflict
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the tension or problem in the story; a struggle between opposing forces. ...
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character
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a person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem, or other literature. ...
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setting
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where, when - the time, place, physical details, and circumstances in which a story occurs....
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spectacle
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scenery, music and costumes
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dialogue
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words
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plot
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what happens - story - includes exposition, conflict, rising action,climax, a falling action and resolution....
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theme
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ideas expressed in play - message or central focus, revealed through dialogue and actions.
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stage directions
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actions performed by actors - instructions to the actors, director and stage crew in the script of a play....
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rising action
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action set in motion by some exciting force - dramatic purpose established
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dramatic force (exciting force)
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introduces the central conflict within the story. ...
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climax
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turning point. the point at which the tragic hero's demise seems inevitable
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falling action
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triggered by the climax --set in motion by a tragic force working against the hero
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catastrophe
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tragic failure usually the death of the hero and all those connected with him
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tragic flaw
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some imperfection of frailty in his character
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tragic force
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action working against the hero ...
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tragic hero
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virtuous person of noble birth - great importance...
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resolution
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occurs after the climax and is where conflicts are resolved and loose ends are tied up. ...
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realism
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sought to portray familiar characters, situations, & setting in a realistic manner, ...
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social realism
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social realities ...
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expressionism
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everyday objects used to represent emotional state shown in Wms stage direction - street care ND.
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tragicomedy
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combines elements / serious play comic moments "dark" comedy...
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Theater of the Absurd
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dramatic trend characterized by radical theatrical innovations, nontraditional, grotesque, plots, stage sets, estrangement, absurdity and futility link many of the works. ...
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existentialism
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cannot be fully understood or described through effort, anguish universal element of life. no common standard of behavior or perception, individuals bear responsibility for their actions...
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comedy of manners
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deriving comedy from social habits. chronicles the flaws, defects of the upper classes - TIBE
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catharsis
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purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, pity & fear, described by Aristotle effect of tragic drama on its audience.
