Drama Terminology

Question 1

major division in the play

Answer 1

act

Question 2

a speech that is directed to the audience which is supposedly not audible to any characters on stage at the time

Answer 2

aside

Question 3

the most intense, exciting, or important point of the story

Answer 3

climax

Question 4

series of related incidents that builds up to the point of greatest interest

Answer 4

Complication

Question 5

portion of the story that introduce important background information to the audience

Answer 5

Exposition

Question 6

a character in a work whose behavior and values contrast with those of another character in order to highlight the distinctive temperament of that other character

Answer 6

Foil

Question 7

subdivision of an act

Answer 7

Scene

Question 8

speech delivered by a character when he or she is alone on stage. Character is thinking out loud

Answer 8

soliloquy

Question 9

dramatic dialogue in which two characters rapidly exchange single lines partly echoing one another’s previous utterances

Answer 9

Stichomythia

Question 10

mental sharpness and inventiveness; keen intelligence

Answer 10

wit