Literary Terms to Know Ms. Palevsky English Concepts Elements of Drama Literary Terms to Know Ms. Palevsky English Concepts

drama A work of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience

comedy A humorous work of drama

tragedy A serious work of drama in which the hero suffers catastrophe or serious misfortune, usually because of his own actions

Act A division within a play, much like chapters in a novel

scene A division of an act into smaller parts

Cast of characters A list of characters presented before the action begins

Stage directions Italicized comments that identify parts of the setting or the use of props or costumes, give further information about a character, or provide background information

Iambic pentameter A line of poetry that contains 5 iambs of two syllables each

dialogue Conversation between two or more characters Juliet , I love you! I love you too, Romeo!

Only the audience hears. Usually only a few lines. Aside Lines that are spoken by a character directly to an audience Only the audience hears. Usually only a few lines.

monologue A long speech spoken by a character to himself, another character, or to the audience Other characters hear

Other characters don’t hear. Just the actors train of thoughts soliloquy Thoughts spoken aloud by a character when he/she is alone, or thinks he/she is alone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCBVmiVkzTM Other characters don’t hear. Just the actors train of thoughts

Dramatic irony When the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not know

Name that Element: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPoXbGu7D5Q

A conversation between characters

Name that Element: See Romeo’s soliloquy in Act II, scene 2 (pg. 609). A long speech delivered by a character who is alone onstage. See Romeo’s soliloquy in Act II, scene 2 (pg. 609).

In a play, a comment made by a character, but is not heard by the other characters onstage.

Name that Element: A work of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience

When the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not know

Name that Element: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFac9m4FrE

A ________ is a play that ends unhappily. Most classic ________ deal with serious, universal themes such as right and wrong justice and injustice life and death

A ___________ is a play that ends happily and contains humor boy meets girl boy loses girl boy wins girl

Name that Element: Found in brackets [ ] or italicized Describe scenery and how characters speak C, Center Stage L, Stage Left R, Stage Right U, Upstage or Rear D, Downstage or Front