genre
a form of work (fiction, nonfiction, novel, short story, play, poetry, etc.)
drama
a play for radio, theater, or television (whether lighthearted or serious)
plot
the sequence of events
acts and scenes
the basic sections of drama (acts are bigger than scenes)
playwright, dramatist
the author of a play who writes the script
dramatic effect
the illusion of reality; allows viewers to believe in the events of the story, even though they know the play is artificial
theme
deeper meaning or insight about life
tragedy
traces the downfall of the main character, often called the tragic hero
tragic hero
Often the protagonist(s) of the tragedy, a tragic hero has three main characteristics:
Born of nobility
Has a tragic flaw (mistake or character defect)
Has a downfall caused by the tragic flaw and fate
tragic flaw
a mistake or character defect
comedy
has a happy ending and usually features a series of events in which the order or balance of the world is disrupted
monologue
(dramatic speech)
a long, uninterrupted speech delivered by a character to other characters on stage.
soliloquy
(dramatic speech)
is a speech in which a character, alone on stage, reveals private thoughts that the audience is allowed to hear.
aside
(dramatic speech)
a brief remark a character makes to the audience rather than to other characters.
internal conflict
a struggle posed by a character's own beliefs, thoughts, or feelings
external conflict
a struggle against an outside force
complex character
(round, dynamic)
a character who is both round and dynamic
round: multidimensional, multiple personality traits
dynamic: goes through significant change or growth
limited character
(flat, static)
a character who is both flat and static
flat: one-dimensional, one personality trait
static: unchanging
*Think of stock characters, those stereotypical characters in novels and TV shows. For example, the football player who is bad at school.
direct characterization
may appear in stage directions when a writer simply tells the audience about a character
indirect characterization
the writer shows the reader what the character is like through descriptions of the character's physical appearance, the character's own words, the character's actions and behavior, and other characters' reactions to the character.