1. Shakespearean
Dramatic Terms

2. Tragedy
A serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that exacts pity or fear.

3. Tragic Hero
A literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy
Flaw that leads to downfall – doomed to start
Usually of noble birth
Audience feels pity or fear for the character

4. has knowledge of or understands something that the characters do not.
Dramatic Irony
When the audience
has knowledge of or understands something
that the characters do not.

5. SOLILOQUY
Speech delivered by a character alone on stage to allow people to know what is going on in his mind.
C:\Documents and Settings\dempsey.brian.WHRSD.002\Desktop\To be or not to be.wmv

6. Blank Verse
Unrhymed
Poetry that does not rhyme, but has a regular rhythm

7. Iambic pentameter 5 sets of 2 beats
“iamb” = one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable
“Be-FORE” “to-DAY”

8. Parallel structure
Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance
Words are similar in length and in grammatical form

9. Pathetic Fallacy
Attributing human qualities and/or emotions to inanimate objects of nature
Weather reflecting an action or mood
EX: “The waves danced” “The somber clouds darkened our mood”

10. Willing suspension of disbelief
Temporarily/willing to set aside beliefs of reality in order to enjoy the “make-believe” parts of a literary work
Putting aside our doubts and skepticism for the sake of a good story
EX: talking cars, flying monkeys, etc.

11. Anachronism Something out of its time and place
Cassius: “The clock has stricken three.”
Clocks were present in Shakespeare’s time but not in ancient Rome during Caesar’s rule

12. Comic Relief
An amusing scene, incident, or speech introduced into serious or tragic elements
Provides temporary relief from tension or intensifies the dramatic action

13. The long soliloquy whose real purpose is to give information to the audience.

14. Aside
A speech or remark addressed to the audience by one of the actors; presumably this remark is unheard by the others on stage.

15. Pun A play on words Uses a word that suggests two or more meanings
Produces a humorous effect
EX: “A horse is a very
stable animal”

16. Reversal
The point at which the complication culminates in the plot; the protagonist’s fortune changes from good to bad (tragedy), or from bad to good (comedy).

17. Paradox
a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true
Ex. When you increase your knowledge, you see how little you know. You see how much you still have to learn. When you really know a lot, you can say: "I know that I know nothing." This is a paradox.