Romeo & JulietUnit 4 - Drama

Characteristics of Drama

OWritten to be performed by actors

OStory is told mainly through dialogue and actions of the characters

Stage DirectionsOTypically printed in italics OExplain how the characters

should look, speak, move, and behave

OCan also describe the setting and scenery like lighting, props, and sound effects

Characters/CastOThe cast of characters is listed at the beginning of a play

DialogueOConversation between the characters

OPlot and characterization is revealed through dialogue

Acts and ScenesOThe same as chapters in a book

OThey indicate a change in location or a passage of time

Vocabulary Terms Unique to Drama

O TragedyO AsideO SoliloquyO MonologueO Tragic Flaw O Tragic HeroO Comic Relief

TragedyOA serious play in which the

chief character passes through a series of misfortunes leading to a final, devastating catastrophe (often death)

AsideOA comment made by a character that is heard by the audience, but NOT heard by the other characters onstage

Soliloquy & MonologueOA soliloquy is a speech

delivered by a character who is alone onstage speaking to himself

OMonologue is a speech given by a character alone on stage to an audience

Tragic Flaw (hamartia)OA defect in the protagonist’s

personality in a tragedy that brings the protagonist to ruin, sorrow, or death

OExamples: Impetuous, fickle, defiance, greed, arrogance

Tragic Hero

OThe protagonist of a tragedy that possess a tragic flaw leading to his downfall or death

OExamples: Romeo & Juliet

HubrisOExtreme pride or arrogance

Comic ReliefOOccurs when a short, funny

episode interrupts an otherwise serious or tragic scene.

OIt is meant to break the tension after a particularly intense scene.

Literary DevicesOBoth prose and drama share

literary devicesExample: foil charactersOA character that provides a strong

contrast to another character. OPurpose: to emphasize a character’s

traits or make another character look better by comparison

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