1. Literary Terms

2.  Act-larger section of a play, made up by scenes  Scene-smaller section of the play  Playwright-a person who writes dramatic literature or drama  Prologue-an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background information.  Stage directions- instructions that tell the cast who is on stage, where to stand, etc. PAGE ONE

3.  Protagonist-the main character  Antagonist-someone/something that provides conflict for the main character  Flat characters-a minor character in a work of fiction who does not undergo change or growth  Round characters-a character who undergoes change. They have many aspects to their personality. PAGE TWO

4.  Allusion: a reference to another literary work, time period, etc.  Analogy: comparison between things  Foreshadowing: a hint of what is to come  Oxymoron: a phrase in which two words of contradictory meaning are used together.  Personification: giving human qualities to non-human things.  Pun-a play on words  Symbolism-the use of symbols to invest things with a “deeper” meaning.  Theme-central idea to a text PAGE THREE

5.  Plot: the sequence of events in a play, novel, movie, etc.  Dramatic structure: the structure of a dramatic work such as a play or film  Exposition: Where our story begins  Rising action: events leading up to the point of highest intensity  Climax: the turning point or point of highest intensity  Falling action: events leading to the resolution  Resolution: the point in a work where the conflict is resolved PAGE FOUR

6.  Setting: where the story takes place as determined by location, weather, time period  Comedy: a dramatic work that deals with a more uplifting and humorous theme  Tragedy: a dramatic work that deals with a more somber theme.  Tragic flaw: a trait of the tragic hero that leads to his/her downfall  Tragic hero: the hero of the piece, who has a trait that causes their own downfall  Motivation: the driving force behind a characters actions PAGE FIVE

7.  Prose-a natural rhythm of speech  Verse- a more metrical way of writing  Blank verse-made up of lines of iambic pentameter, but they do not rhyme.  Shakespearean sonnet-14 lines of iambic pentameter using the following rhyme scheme: ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG  Iambic pentameter—5 lines of iambic meter. Iambs are what you call duple metered feet. (two syllables) and they rotate in pronunciation with unstressed/stressed syllable patterns: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day PAGE SIX

8.  Irony-contrast, between what the expectations of a situation are and what is really the case  Verbal irony-when a character says one thing, but means another  Situational irony-where the outcome of a situation is opposite of what you expected  Dramatic irony-when the audience members are aware of something that is unbeknownst to the characters on stage. PAGE SEVEN

9.  Aside- a dramatic device in which a character speaks to the audience, but it is unheard by the other characters.  Soliloquy-a long speech delivered by one character who is alone on stage. This speech reveals the characters inner thoughts and desires.  Monologue-a long speech delivered by one character while other characters are present.  Chorus-a group of performers in plays who comment on the action of the play  Dramatic foil-a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character.  Pun: play on words PAGE EIGHT