Act
A major division of a play
Antagonist
A character or force in conflict with the main character
Aside
a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage
Catastrophe
a large-scale disaster, misfortune, or failure
Catharsis
the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
character
A heritable feature that varies among individuals
Dynamic character
A character who grows, learns, or changes as a result of the story's action
static character
A character who does not change during the story.
Climax
Most exciting moment of the story; turning point
comic relief
comic episodes in a dramatic or literary work that offset more serious sections.
Conflict
A struggle between opposing forces
denouement
an outcome; result
deus ex machina
In literature, the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem.
epilogue
short concluding section in a literary work
Exposition
a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.
falling action
Events after the climax, leading to the resolution
Foil
A character who acts as a contrast to another character
Hamartia
tragic flaw
Hero or Heroine
the main character in a narrative or dramatic work. The term protagonist is preferable since the leading character may not be morally or otherwise superior. When our expectations of heroic qualities are strikingly disappointed, the central character may be known as an anti-hero or anti-heroine.
anti-hero or anti-heroine.
When our expectations of heroic qualities are strikinglydisappointed, the central character may be known as this.EX: Victor Frankenstein
Hubris
excessive pride
hubristic
excessively proud or self-confident
in medias res
in or into the middle of a plot; into the middle of things
Monologue
(n.) a speech by one actor; a long talk by one person
Narrator
Person telling the story
Plot
Sequence of events in a story
Prologue
introductory remarks in a speech, play or literary work, introductory action
Protagonist
main character
rising action
Events leading up to the climax
Scene
a division of an act into smaller parts
Setting
The time and place of a story
Soliloquy
A long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage
soliloquist
one who speaks a soliloquy, usually on stage
Stage directions
an instruction in the text of a play, especially one indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor, or the sound effects and lighting.
Tragedy
A serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character
tragic flaw
A weakness or limitation of character, resulting in the fall of the tragic hero.
Turning Point
the point in a work in which a very significant change occurs
Villain
a wicked or evil person