Drama Terms

a character who contrasts with another in order to highlight the other’s traits. For example, a serious character might have a comedic friend as a foil, highlighting his serious nature

• double
• dramatic irony
• couplet
• dramatic foil
• contrast agent

a drama which deals with a serious or somber theme and which ends in disaster for the protagonist(s)

• ode
• metaphor
• repetition
• tragedy
• oxymoron

the part of a story where the conflict introduced in the exposition intensifies (Act 2 of a Shakespearean play)

• falling action
• climax
• rising action
• exposition
• acceleration

a long speech by a character that is heard by all of the other characters on stage

• rumination
• monologue
• soliloquy
• dialogue
• aside

a weakness in a tragic hero that helps to bring about the character’s downfall and/or death in a tragedy

• blind spot
• tragic flaw
• oxymoron
• allusion
• exposition

the part of a story that introduces the characters, setting, and conflict (Act 1 of a Shakespearean play)

• dialogue
• dramatic foil
• revelation
• resolution
• exposition

the final outcome of a story (Act 5 of a Shakespearean play)

• finalization
• resolution
• climax
• exposition
• reveal

in verse (poetry), a pair of consecutive lines that rhyme with each other

• duet
• couplet
• sonnet
• repetition
• simile

a long speech in which a character, usually alone on stage, presents his or her innermost thoughts to the audience

• rumination
• monologue
• soliloquy
• dialogue
• aside

a conversation between characters on stage (they make brief remarks to each other, rather than giving long speeches)

• monologue
• soliloquy
• interaction
• aside
• dialogue