1. MYP International English: Literature
Drama Terminology

2. Act: a major division of a play
Allusion: a reference in literature to a person, event, or literary work
Catastrophe: The concluding action of a drama, especially a classical tragedy, following the climax and containing a resolution of the plot.

3. Character: a person or thing in a story
Antagonist - is the person or thing working against the protagonist
Dynamic – one that undergoes some type of change because of the action in the plot
Flat – embodies one or two qualities, ideas, or traits that can be readily accessible to readers (could be stereotypes “dumb blonde” or “evil stepmother”)
Main – central character to the story/protagonist
Minor - less important character in a literary work, but still is needed for explanation or development of plot
Protagonist – central character who engages the reader’s interest and empathy
Round – display inconsistencies and internal conflicts found in most real people
Static – one that doesn’t change throughout the work, reader’s knowledge of character does not grow
Tragic hero – has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail; trapped in a situation that cannot be won; makes some sort of tragic flaw, this causes fall from greatness; still wins a moral victory and spirit lives on

4. Characterization: creation of characters for a play or story
Direct – telling the audience/reader exactly what you want them to know about the characters (Killer is a really mean guy.)
Indirect – Showing the reader the character instead of telling the audience about the character

5. Chorus: the repetition of a line or phrase of a poem at regular intervals, especially at the end of a stanza
Climax: high point of story; is the turning point, and usually the most intense point in the story
Comedy: literature with a love story at its core. The basic plot often develops as follows: an old, established society tries to prevent the formation of a new one (the union of a young couple). The young couple succeeds in the end. Human errors or problems may appear humorous

6. Conflict: the problem or struggle in a story that triggers the action
Conflict: the problem or struggle in a story that triggers the action. There are five basic types: person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. self, person vs. nature, and person vs. fate/God
Connotation: creating associations while also using explicit definitions
Crisis: a high point in the conflict that leads to the turning point or climax
Denotation: dictionary definition

7. Dialogue: the conversation carried on by the characters in a literary work
Epiphany: in fiction, when a character suddenly experiences a deep realization about himself or herself; a truth which is grasped in an ordinary rather than a melodramatic moment
Exposition: writing or speaking that sets forth or explains; detailed explanation

8. Flashback: going back to an earlier time in a story for the purpose of making something present clearer
Foil: character in a work whose behavior and values contrast with those of another character in order to highlight the distinctive temperament of that character (usually the protagonist)
Foreshadowing: to be a sign of something to come; indicate or suggest before hand

9. Gesture: anything done or said to convey a state of mind, intention, etc.; often something said or done merely for effect of as a formality
Imagery: the words or phrases a writer selects to create a certain picture in the reader’s mind, usually based on sensory detail

10. Irony: combination of circumstances or a result that is opposite of what is or might be expected or considered appropriate
Dramatic – where the reader/audience sees a character’s mistakes or misunderstandings, but the character does not
Situational – there is a great difference between the purpose of a particular action and the result
Verbal – where the writer says one thing and means another

11. Metaphor: a figure of speech containing an implied comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily and primarily used of one is applied to another (all the world’s a stage)
Paradox: a statement that seems contrary to common sense, yet may, in fact, be true

12. Plot: the action or sequence of events in a story; contains 5 basic elements: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement

13. Point of View: the vantage point from which the story is told
1st person – where a central character or another minor character tells the story using “I”
3rd person – where a voice outside of the story tells the story using “he” or “she” to describe the characters and actions
Limited/Objective
Omniscient – having infinite knowledge; knowing all things; usually in 3rd person

14. Repetition: the act of repeating something over and over again
Satire: a literary work in which vices, follies, stupidities, abuses, etc. are held up to ridicule and contempt
Scene: a division of a play, usually part of an act, in which conventionally the action is continuous and in a single place
Simile: a comparison of two unlike things in which a word of companion (like or as) is used

15. Soliloquy: speech delivered by a character when he/she is alone on stage
Symbol: person, place, thing, or event used to represent something else
Theme: the statement about life a particular work is trying to get across
Tone: the overall feeling, or effect, created by a writer’s words. May be serious, mock-serious, humorous, or satirical

16. Tragedy: a serious play or drama typically dealing with the problems of a central character, leading to an unhappy or disastrous ending