Drama Terminology for Romeo & Juliet - Spring 2021

A major section of a play, similar to chapters in a book; made up of groups of related scenes.

• Play

• Act

• Scene

• Line

An introductory section that tells you what's going to happen later in the play.

• Prologue

• Act

• Scene

• Chorus

Two or more characters talking

• Monolog

• Soliloquy

• Dialog

• Aside

Spoken lines that the audience can hear, but that some other characters can't

• Monolog

• Soliloquy

• Dialog

• Aside

A long speech made by one character that all other characters onstage can hear.

• Monolog

• Soliloquy

• Dialog

• Aside

A long speech made by one character about their feelings; no other characters can hear it.

• Monolog

• Soliloquy

• Dialog

• Aside

Humorous actions or words that break the tension of a serious play.

• comic relief

• allusion

• situational irony

• stage directions

A rhythmic pattern in poetry that has five sets of unstressed and stressed syllables; Shakespeare used this pattern in his sonnets and parts of Romeo & Juliet

• allusion

• blank verse

• dramatic irony

• iambic pentameter

A pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry or other writing.

• allusion

• meter

• comic relief

• couplet

The way that a writer creates and develops a character's personality, including physical appearance, thoughts, speech, and actions.

• characterization

• couplet

• conflict

• drama