Drama Terms

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drama

Back 1

individual play and one of the three major genres of lit

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dialogue

Back 2

convo of two or more characters

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monologue

Back 3

spoken by a single character who is usually alone on stage

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stage directions

Back 4

playwright's instructions about facial and vocal expression, movement and action, gesture and body language, stage appearance, lighting etc

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characters

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persons created to embody play's actions, ideas, and attitudes

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protagonist

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central character

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antagonist

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person, idea, force, or general set of circumstances opposing protagonist

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dynamic character

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a character who undergoes adaptation, change or growth

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static character

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a character who remains constant without any change or growth

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realistic character

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designed to seem like individualized women and men with thoughts, desires, motive, personalities, and lives

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nonrealistic character

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undeveloped and symbolic; w/o motivation or identity

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stock characters / stereotype

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unindividualized characters whose actions and speeches make them seem to be taken from a mold

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ancillary characters

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characters who set off or highlight protagonist and who provide insight into the action

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foil

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character who usually highlights qualities of a major character

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choric figure

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character loosely connected to chorus of ancient drama; remains detached from action and provides commentary

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raisonneur / commentor

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choric figure who expresses ideas about the play's major issues and actions

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actions / incidents

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events or occurences in work

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chronology

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logic of time

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plot

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actions connected by chronology and principles underlying the chain of actions and rxns

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conflict

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ppl / circumstances protagonist tries to overcome

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double / multiple plot

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two or more different lines of action

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main plot

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central and major line of causation and action in lit work

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subplot

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secondary line of action in lit work that comments directly on main plot

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structure

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play's pattern of organization

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exposition / intro

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stage of drama which introduces all things necessary for development of plot

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rising action

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action in a play before the climax

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climax

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high pt of conflict and tension preceding resolution of drama; pt of decision and pt of no return

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falling action

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turning downward of the plot after the climax; denouement of a play in which things are explained and put in place

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catastrophe / denouement

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final stage of plot development in which mysteries are explained, characters find destinies and work is done

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pt of view

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speaker, voice, narractive, or persona of a work

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tone

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signifies the way moods and attitudes are created and presented

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dramatic irony

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audience / characters understand whereas major characters have only partial understanding

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cultural / universal symbols

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generally understood regardless of context

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contextual / private symbols

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only have impact within context of specific play or scene

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allegory

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when play offers consister and sustained symbols referring to general human experiences

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subject

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aspects of humanity playwright explores

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theme

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meaning

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blocking

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movement on the stage according to patterns

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stage business

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gestures or movements that make play dramatic, spontaneous, or funny

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producer

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finances and arranges production

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director

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cooperates w/ actors and helps in speaking, responsding, etc

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proscenium stage

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picture-frame stage

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thrust stage / apron stage

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enlarges proscenium stage w/ acting area projecting into audience

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theatre-in-the round

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stage open on all sides

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scene

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permanent location

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unit set

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series of platforms, room, stairs, and exits that form locations for all the play's action

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dithyrambs

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ancient poetic form sung by choruses during dionysiac festivals; ode or sung chanted and danced by large choruses at festivals

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corpus christi / mystery plays

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religiously inspired plays and collections of plays dramatizing biblical stories

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morality play

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dramatized instructions for living a devout and holy life

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tragicomedy

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tragic + comedy

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farce

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to make audiences laugh

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melodrama

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form in which situations and characters are exagerrated and ridiculous

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social drama

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explores social problems and individual's place in society

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tragedy

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drama in which major character undergoes a loss but achieves illumination or new perspective

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hubris / hybris

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arrogant pride, insolence, contemptous violence that lead tragic figures to commit flaws?

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satyr play

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boisterous burlesque play w/ a trilogy

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Aeschylus

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playwright who added second actor

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Sophocles

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added a third actor, created scene design, and increased chorus from 12 to 15

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catharsis

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purgation ; tragedy arousing pity and fear regularizes and shapes emotions

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muthos

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tragic plot

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mimesis

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representation

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peripeteia

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reversal of situation

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anagnorisis

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recognition

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pathos

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scene of suffering

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serious

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noble or elevated

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magnitude

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balance of length and subject matter

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hamartia

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shortcomings; tragic flaw

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tragic dilemma

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situation that forces protagonist to make a hard choice

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orchestra

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dancing place

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skene

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tent

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deus ex machina

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articial and/or illogical action or device introduced at play's end to bring otherwise impossible conflicts to satisfactory solution

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buskins

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elegant boots worn by dionysus

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prologue

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exposition; first scene

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parados

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entry of the chorus into the orchestra

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episode

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major part of each section

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stichomythy

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swift one line interchanges

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stasimon

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choral odes separating episodes

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exodos

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final section