Literary Terms Quiz

What is an "aside" in a play?

• A long monologue directed at the audience

• A brief speech where a character speaks directly to the audience

• A dialogue between two characters

• A silent gesture made by a character

What does "allusion" refer to in literature?

• A direct quote from another work

• A reference to something in previous literature or history

• A fictional character's name

• A type of poetic meter

What is "anagnorisis" in a play?

• A moment when a character makes a critical discovery

• The introduction of a new character

• The resolution of the plot

• A humorous interlude

What is "blank verse" typically written in?

• Rhyming couplets

• Free verse

• Iambic pentameter

• Haiku

What is "catharsis" according to Aristotle?

• The introduction of a new character

• The purging of feelings of pity and fear

• The climax of a story

• The resolution of a conflict

Match the following literary terms with their definitions.

• Characterization

• The means by which writers present and reveal character

• Techniques like metaphor and simile

• The plot development

• The sequence of events in a story

• The use of poetic devices

• Where and when the story takes place

• The setting of the story

What is the "climax" in a play or story?

• The introduction of the main character

• The turning point of the action

• The resolution of the plot

• The beginning of the story

What is "comic relief" in a play?

• A serious monologue

• A tragic scene

• A comic scene interrupting tragic moments

• A musical interlude

What does "complication" refer to in a story or play?

• The resolution of the plot

• The introduction of a new character

• An intensification of the conflict

• The setting of the story

Match the following elements with their definitions in a story or play.

• Comic Relief

• A peaceful resolution

• Setting

• A struggle between opposing forces

• Resolution

• A humorous interlude

• Conflict

• A detailed description of the setting