drama terms and devices Flashcards
dramatic irony
occurs in a piece of literature when the audience knows something that some characters in the narrative do not
expressionist theatre
expressionism in a theatrical style that stresses meaning through production elements such as light, music, setting and even dance
hubris
excessive pride or self-confidence
peripeteia
a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances, especially in reference to fictional narrative
pathos
a quality that evokes pity or sadness
motif
a dominant or recurring idea in artistic work
melodrama
a sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions
tableau vivant
a silent and motionless group of people arranged to represent a scene or incident
leitmotif
a recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition associated with a particular person, idea, or situation
hamartia
a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine
catharsis
the process of releasing and thereby providing relief from strong or repressed emotions
social darwinism
an application of the theory of natural selection to social, political and economic issues. in its simplest form social darwinism follows the mantra of “the strong survive”, including human issues
denouement
the final part of a play, film, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved
naturalism
theatre that attempts to create an illusion of reality through a range of dramatic and theatrical strategies
plastic theatre
the use of all stage resources, lighting, sound, music, movement, sets and props, in order to generate a theatrical experience greater than realism
