a story that ends happily, often involving common people and humorous situations even if the subject is serious

a serious work of drama in which the hero suffers catastrophe or serious misfortune, usually because of his own actions

the character(s) around whom the story revolves; the main or most important character(s)

major character whose ideas, actions, and/or values conflict with those of the protagonist; NOT always the "bad guy"

the place in which the action occurs, including the time of day and time period; anything that creates the environment

the actual story; the sequence of events

the main idea the author is trying to convey; the message of the story

the point of tension that moves the story forward; a struggle between opposing forces

a division of a play much like a chapter is a division within a novel

a further division of an act within a play

comments in a play that identify the use of props or costumes, movement, or stage actions; may give background information about characters or the setting

a conversation between two or more characters

a speech given by one character to another or by a character to an audience

when a character voices their thoughts out loud when alone or when they think they are alone

words spoken by a character directly to the audience, usually to help give the audience further information

a person or group of people who act as a narrator, commentator, or general audience to the action of the play

a situation in the story in which the audience knows something that the characters do not know

a character who is almost exactly the opposite of another character, used to make a comparison

a word or phrase with more than one meaning

a play on words, especially those that sound alike but have different meanings