Shakespeare Literary Terms

Conversation between characters

• aside

• monologue

• dialogue

• soliloquy

Instructions for the actors on stage; usually set apart in italics

• stage directions

• dialogue

• acting directions

• scene

a major unit of action in a play

• scene

• act

• drama

• tragedy

smaller divisions of an act in a play

• monologue

• soliloquy

• scene

• tragedy

a long speech given by one character in a play, speaking to others

• aside

• soliloquy

• monologue

• stage directions

a speech in which one character is revealing his private thoughts out loud; usually alone on stage

• stage directions

• monologue

• soliloquy

• aside

a comment spoken to the audience or to another character, not meant for the other characters to hear

• monologue

• soliloquy

• aside

• foreshadowing

literature in which the outcome is disastrous for the main character; may end in death or devastation

• comedy

• drama

• tragedy

• epic

a noble person who suffers a terrible downfall in the end of the story

• epic hero

• protagonist

• antagonist

• tragic hero

A character flaw or defect that causes the character's downfall

• irony

• foreshadowing

• tragic flaw

• theme