Introduction to Drama Terms

Notes included in a play, in addition to the dialogue, for the purpose of describing how something should be performed on stage.

• Tragedy
• Stage Directions
• Foil
• Aside

A major division of a play.

• Act
• Tragedy
• Chorus
• Summary

A statement made by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience, but not by other characters on the stage.

• Irony
• Monologue
• Soliloquy
• Aside

The act of creating or describing a character.

• Scenes
• Foil
• Characterization
• Imagery

A group of actors who speak directly to the audience between scenes, commenting on the actions of the play.

• Foil
• Chorus
• Comedy
• Tragedy

Any lighthearted or humorous literary work with a happy ending, especially one prepared for the stage or the screen.

• Irony
• Theme
• Tragedy
• Comedy

A Conversation between two or more people or characters.

• Dialogue
• Figurative Language
• Monologue
• Aside

Writing or speech meant to be understood imaginatively instead of literally.

• Irony
• Soliloquy
• Figurative Language
• Dialogue

A character who's traits contrast with the traits of another character.

• Chorus
• Inference
• Theme
• Foil

Language that creates pictures by appealing to the senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.

• Inference
• Theme
• Imagery
• Figurative Language