Shakespearean DramaThe Tragedy of Romeo &

JulietMs. Murray

Grade 9 ELA

Quarter 4

Shakespearean DramaVocabulary Unit 10

Tragedy, tragic hero, character foil, word play, blank verse, aside, comic relief, dramatic irony, soliloquy and aside, allusion, paraphrase, critical review, love story, cast, synopsis, stage directions, protagonist, antagonist, Elizabethan words, close read, cause and effect, analyze

Tragedy

• This is a type of drama created by Shakespeare.• Characteristics are:• The ending always end with a tragedy, hence the

name!• The main character(s) die at the end of the story.• The story almost always has a moral or message

to it despite the ending being “ruined” for us, the audience.

Tragic hero

• A tragic hero always dies and he or she dies because of a tragic flaw. • Main character or the protagonist (central character, the

one with whom the audience most identifies)• A tragic flaw is like a personality defect, like greed,

ambition, or jealously. His or her death sometimes happens because of his or her’s shortcoming (failure) or a cruel twist of fate.• This person is often of high rank or status; show strength

while facing his or her destiny (the tragic hero never dies like a coward).

Character Foil

•A character whose personality and attitude contrast sharply with those of another character•This process highlights both characters’ traits—for example, a timid character can make a talkative one seem even chattier.

Antagonist

• Is the force working against the protagonist (comes from the root word anti-).•The force could be one person, a group of people, or even something non-human.

Soliloquy

•It is a speech given by a character alone on stage.•Lets the audience know what the character is thinking or feeling.

Aside

•It is a character’s remark, either to the audience or to another character, that others on stage “do not hear.”•Reveals the character’s private thoughts

Dramatic Irony

• If you know what irony means (which you should by now), now apply it to a drama.• Specifically, it is when the audience know more than the characters. Its purpose is to help build suspense.• For example, the audience is aware of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic downfall long before the characters themselves realize it/face it.

Comic Relief

• It is just like it says.• It is a humorous scene or speech intended to lighten the mood.• It serves to heighten the seriousness of the main action by a contrast.•We have to have some fun in life, right?

Word Play: Allusion & Puns

• It is literally playing the words to convey deep meanings, humor, emotions, etc. In the modern day, we use more figurative language and

• It is a reference within the work that refers to something that the audience is expected to know.

• In the case of Shakespeare’s audience, they were familiar Greek and Roman mythology and the bible. For example, he made an allusion to Venus, the Greek god of love.

• Puns—jokes that result from multiple word meanings or rhyming sounds.• Act 1—Being but heavy, I will bear the light”• “With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead”

Blank Verse

•A type of iambic pentameter that Shakespeare used (an almost natural rhythm with which the English language is spoken).•There are 5 stressed syllables in each line.

Elizabethan words

• The dialect of language used during the era of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

• Some words you should know while reading the play are:• ‘a: he• An, and: if• Anon: soon, right away• Aught: anything• Coz: short for cousin; used also to refer to close relatives or friends• Ere: before• E’er: ever• God-den: good evening• God gi’ go-den: God give you a good evening

Elizabethan words (cont.)

• Hence: from here• Hie: hurry• Hither: here• Marry: a short form of “by the virgin Mary” so a mild exclamation—like “Oh my God!” or “I swear…!”• Morrow: morning• Naught: nothing• O’er: over• Prithee: pray thee, or please• Sirrah: a term used to address a servant• Soft: be still; quiet, wait a minute• Thither: there• Whence: where• Wherefore: why• Wot: know• Yond, yonder: over there

Other Vocabulary

There are some words left that you should be able to easily guess (or already know). Let us review:

paraphrase, critical review, love story, cast, synopsis, stage directions, close read, cause and effect, analyze

Which ones do you not know?