Drama Terms Flashcards
English 6th 2025
Major divisions in a play; referenced by a capital Roman numeral, I, II, III, IV, V
Act
A small unit of a play without a setting change, referenced by small Roman numerals i,ii, iii, iv, v, vi
Scene
A single line of words in a drama, referenced by numbers, 1, 85, 7
Line
The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of words
Example: Sarah is a swimmer from Sublette.
Alliteration
Referencing a literary or historical person or event to explain a present situation.
Example: That student will end up giving Einstien a run for his money.
Allusion
Remarks by an actor to be heard by the audience but not other actors
Example: breaking the fourth wall in drama. I am told the Deadpool movie has many examples of this, but I haven’t seen it.
Aside
dramatic work that is amusing and satirical in its tone, mostly having a cheerful ending.
Comedy
Humorous lines spoken to break the intensity of the drama.
Comic Relief
A hint of what is to come in the story.
Foreshadowing
Words that appeal to the five senses. Words that describe what something looks like, sounds like, tastes like, feels like, smells like.
Example: The chocolate chip cookie was slightly crunchy on the edges but warm and gooey in the middle.
Imagery
The contrast between what appears to be and reality.
Example: Congressman Smith, a long-time supporter of DOVES, was convicted of domestic violence today in court.
Irony
A comparison not using the words “like” or “as”.
Example: My college professor is a wise old owl.
Example: The highway was a black ribbon winding through the desert.
Metaphor
Opposite words used together for emphasis.
Example: The jumbo shrimp we had for dinner last night was delicious.
Oxymoron
Giving living characteristics to non-living things, or giving human characteristics to non-human things.
Example: The dog greeted me, smiled, then stood on his hind legs and danced.
Example: As the wind whistled through the trees, it sang a lonesome song.
Personification
Comparison using the words “like” or “as”.
Example: My best friend is like a brother to me.
Example: She was as red as a beet when she tripped in front of the crowd at the game.
Simile
Speech given by an actor alone on stage. This is sometimes called a monologue.
Soliloquy
The fall of a good man (person) because of common human frailty.
Shakespearean Tragedy
Drama ending in defeat and suffering
Tragedy
