Literary Terms

Round character a major character in a work of fiction who encounters conflict & is changed by it. Round characters tend to be more fully developed & described than flat (minor) characters

Flat character minor character in a work of fiction who does not tend to undergo substantial emotional change or growth; the opposite of a round character

Foil a character whose personality or attitudes are in sharp contrast to those of another character.

Allusion a brief reference within a work to something outside the work that the reader or audience is expected to know. Shakespeare’s works often contained allusions to the Bible that audiences were expected to pick up on.

Pun the humorous use of a word or phrase that emphasizes its different meanings the humorous use of a word or phrase that emphasizes its different meanings the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound but different in meaning the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound but different in meaning a play on words a play on words Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now. Police were called to a daycare where a three-year-old was resisting a rest. The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

Dramatic irony when the reader knows something that the character doesn’t

Theme The moral of the story The moral of the story The central idea or message of a story The central idea or message of a story Often a perception about life or human nature Often a perception about life or human nature

Poetic Terms

1. iambic pentameter – a 10 syllable line (5 feet) 2. foot –one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable Example – be-yond 3. blank verse – unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter; echoes the natural rhythms of natural English speech; used for dramatic poetry

4. Couplet—a pair of end-rhymed lines of verse 5. Enjambment – the running over of the sense and grammatical structure from one verse line or couplet to the next without a punctuated pause. 6. End-stopped – occurs when the end of a line of verse concludes a thought with some sort of punctuation 7. Caesura – a pause in a line of verse (punctuation in the middle of a line)

Play Terms

Prologue comes before the actual story; sets up the story PrologueStoryEpilogue

Soliloquy a speech that a character gives when he or she is alone on stage. Its purpose is to let the audience know what the character is thinking.

Aside a character’s remark either to the audience or another character that others on stage are not supposed to hear

Comic Relief a humorous scene that relieves the overall emotional intensity

Stage directions In a play, written instructions that explain how characteristics should look, speak, move, and behave; In a play, written instructions that explain how characteristics should look, speak, move, and behave; also specify details of the setting and scenery such as sets, costumes, lighting, props and sound effects

setting time and place in which the events of a story, novel, or play occur; helps to create an atmosphere or mood

plot the sequence of events in a story Exposition Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution/ Denouement

act a major division of a play Act I Act II Act III Act IV Act V

Scene a subdivision of an act in a play; each scene usually takes place in a specific setting and time Act I, scene 1 = 1.1 Act I, scene 2 = 1.2 Act I, scene 3 = 1.3

Characteristics of a Tragedy 1. One event triggers the next 2. There is a tragic hero (in R&J’s case, there are 2 tragic heroes) 3. Evokes pity and fear in the audience We should feel their pain We should feel their pain We should fear our own choices and reflect on our own lives and decisions We should fear our own choices and reflect on our own lives and decisions 4. Should lead to catharsis Cleansing of a community Cleansing of a community Feeling healed Feeling healed Feeling like a community Feeling like a community

Characteristics of a Tragedy 5. Tragic hero: main character Usually comes from a princely/upper class Usually comes from a princely/upper class Tragic flaw Tragic flaw Mistake the hero makes, usually because of his pride Mistake the hero makes, usually because of his pride 6. Circle of fortune Tragic hero begins with good luck and by the end of the play can have bad luck, or will encounter bad luck then persevere in the end Tragic hero begins with good luck and by the end of the play can have bad luck, or will encounter bad luck then persevere in the end