Dramatic and Literary Elements Tools for Reading and Understanding Shakespeare

Dramatic Elements Genre Genre Drama Drama Conflict Conflict Climax Climax Tragedy Tragedy Tragic Hero & Tragic Flaw Tragic Hero & Tragic Flaw Foil Foil Comedy Comedy Aside Aside Dialogue Dialogue Monologue Monologue Soliloquy Soliloquy

GENRE Refers to different forms of writing such as short stories, novels, biographies, dramas, and poems. Refers to different forms of writing such as short stories, novels, biographies, dramas, and poems. Dramatic genres include tragedies, comedies, and romances. Dramatic genres include tragedies, comedies, and romances.

Drama form of literature known as plays form of literature known as plays Is a story acted out, live and onstage Is a story acted out, live and onstage Consists entirely of characters’ words and actions. Consists entirely of characters’ words and actions.

Plot is based on or driven by conflict Plot is based on or driven by conflict Internal conflict: problems occurring within a character (ex: important choices) Internal conflict: problems occurring within a character (ex: important choices) External conflict: problems occurring between character and outside force (ex: fight, man v. nature) External conflict: problems occurring between character and outside force (ex: fight, man v. nature) Conflict

Point of drama where tension reaches its height Point of drama where tension reaches its height Usually followed by a resolution Usually followed by a resolution Climax

Tragedy literary work in which hero is destroyed by some character flaw and by forces beyond his/her control literary work in which hero is destroyed by some character flaw and by forces beyond his/her control

Tragic hero = central character who has personal failings that leads to his or her downfall Tragic hero = central character who has personal failings that leads to his or her downfall Tragic flaw = characteristic that leads hero to downfall (Ex: pride, greed) Tragic flaw = characteristic that leads hero to downfall (Ex: pride, greed) Tragic Hero & the Tragic Flaw

Foil a character whose personality or attitudes are in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same work a character whose personality or attitudes are in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same work highlights other character’s traits or attitude highlights other character’s traits or attitude

Comedy literature that deals with life in a humorous or satiric manner literature that deals with life in a humorous or satiric manner In comedy human errors or problems appear funny. Comedies end on happy note. In comedy human errors or problems appear funny. Comedies end on happy note.

Aside character’s remark, either to the audience or to another character, that others on stage are not supposed to hear character’s remark, either to the audience or to another character, that others on stage are not supposed to hear reveals character’s private thoughts reveals character’s private thoughts

Dialogue conversation carried on by the characters in a literary work conversation carried on by the characters in a literary work Usually between two people Usually between two people

Dramatic Monologue literary work (or part of a literary work) in which a character is speaking about him/herself as if another person were present literary work (or part of a literary work) in which a character is speaking about him/herself as if another person were present speaker’s words reveal something important about his/her character speaker’s words reveal something important about his/her character

Soliloquy speech delivered by a character when he or she is alone on stage purpose is to let the audience know what the character is thinking