Literary Terms: Drama

Front 1

Act

Back 1

A major division in the action of a play.

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Action

Back 2

The way in which the story is presented and organised to bring out its meaning and to show and explain the theory.

Front 3

Anagnorisis

Back 3

a discovery or recognition, especially in tragedy. (E.g when the hero understands why they have fallen.)

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Antagonist

Back 4

The principle character against the protagonist.

Front 5

Anticlimax

Back 5

A decline viewed in disappointing contrast with a previous rise.

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Anti-hero

Back 6

Protagonist whose character and goals are opposed to the traditional heroism.

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Aside

Back 7

An actors speech directed to the audience (like thoughts in the actors head being said only to the audience).

Front 8

Bathos

Back 8

The abrupt descent from the elevated to the commonplace.

Front 9

Blocking

Back 9

The director's planning of the moves, or physical action of the play.

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Catharsis

Back 10

The purification of the pity and terror experienced during a tragedy.

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Characters

Back 11

People presented in the play who change their character to suit the character that the writer of the play intended.

Front 12

Characterisation

Back 12

the distinctive characters of the persons in the play.

Front 13

Complication

Back 13

the building of the plot as part of the rising action.

Front 14

Climax

Back 14

A turning point, the part of greatest tension in a plot.

Front 15

Comedy

Back 15

A literary work. especially a play, characterised by humour and by a happy ending.

Front 16

Concealment

Back 16

The withholding of information by the playwright in order to induce interest or suspense.

Front 17

Conflict

Back 17

a struggle between a character and some obstacle or between internal forces, such as divided loyalties.

Front 18

Convention

Back 18

Tradition, therefore the audience is used to this.

Front 19

Costume

Back 19

the clothing worn by the actors in the play (fits the character's personality)

Front 20

Crisis

Back 20

a high point in the conflict that leads to the turning point.

Front 21

Dénouement

Back 21

the resolution or the outcome of a plot.

Front 22

Dialogue

Back 22

The mutual conversation between two or more characters

Front 23

Dramatic Irony

Back 23

character acts in an inappropriate way to the actual circumstances.

Front 24

Dramatic Structure

Back 24

The structure of a play how tension is developed, how one scene leads to another etc...

Front 25

Dramatic tension

Back 25

a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety about the outcome of certain actions.

Front 26

Exposition

Back 26

In fiction (Drama) introductory information including the situation and introducing characters.

Front 27

Expressionism

Back 27

A movement which revolted against realism, subject matter and style. Stage was often abstract, the dialogue fragmented and intense emotional states where expressed.

Front 28

Falling Action

Back 28

The action following the climax of the work that moves it towards its intention.

Front 29

Farce

Back 29

Comedy based on humorous situations.

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Flashback

Back 30

An interruption of a works chronology to describe/present an incident that occurred.

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Foil

Back 31

A character who contrasts and parallels the main character in the play.

Front 32

Foreshadowing

Back 32

Hints of what is to come in the action of a play or a story.

Front 33

Fourth Wall

Back 33

The imaginary wall which separates the play and the play in scene (fantasy/ the story) and the real world.

Front 34

Gesture

Back 34

physical movement, especially in the play.

Front 35

Hamartia

Back 35

flaw in the tragic hero, or an error made by the tragic hero.