Final Exam Drama Terms

a figure of speech in which an animal, object, natural force, or idea is given a personality and described as human

the point of greatest emotional intensity, interest, or suspense in a narrative

the character or force that works against the protagonist; introduces the conflict

unrhymed iambic pentameter

that quality of a literary work that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events

a contrast between what the audience perceives and what a character does not know

the humorous use of a word or phrase to suggest two or more meanings at the same time

an extended comparison showing the similarities between two things

two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

a contrast between what is said and what is meant

comparison between two unlike things with the intent of giving added meaning to one of them

a fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in iambic pentameter, that has one of several rhyme schemes.

any object, person, place, or action that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for something larger than itself.

the central idea of a work of literature

a contrast between what is expected and what really happens

a speech in which a character is alone on stage and expresses thoughts out loud

a struggle (between two opposing forces or characters)

a reason that explains or partially explains why a character thinks, feels, acts, or behaves in a certain way

A reference in one work of literature to a person, place, or event in another work of literature or in history, or art

a descriptive adjective or phrase used to characterize someone or something. (Peter the Great).

an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable

words spoken by a character in a play, usually in an undertone and not intended for others on stage to hear.

five verse feet with each foot an iamb (a total of ten syllables)

the structure of a play

the literary technique that portrays differences between appearance and reality

a long, uninterrupted speech presented in front of other characters

the main character in a play or story

the use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest what action is to come

the return of a word, phrase, stanza form, or affect in any form of literature

a figure of speech that combines apparently contradictory terms

language that is not intended to be interpreted in a literal sense

a writer’s choice of words for clarity, effectiveness, and precision

the personality a character displays; also, the means by which the author reveals that personality

a character who sets off another character by contrast

a comparison made between two dissimilar things through the use of a specific word of comparison such as like and as

language that appeals to any sense (sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell) or any combination of the senses