Drama: Vocab Flashcards
Inciting moment/exciting force
Event that sets the story into motion, leads to the rising action
Acts
The main divisions in a play, broken further down into scenes
Exposition
Introduction to the story, sets the tone, introduces characters, gives necessary background
Complication
Rising action, “protasis”, set in motion by exciting force
Climax
The turning point, “epitasis”, where the rising action turns to the falling action. Related to the crisis
Falling Action
“Catatasis,” emphasis on forces working against the hero, possible suspense, leading to disaster to come
Catastrophe
Conclusion of the play, wraps up falling action, ends conflict, plays out results of the climax. In tragedies, it is the death of the protagonist.
Prologue and Epilogue
Remarks made directly to the audience by a character in a play at the beginning to introduce the play, or at the end to conclude it.
Adversarius
In a formal satire, is addressed by the persona. Role is to shape the persona’s remarks.
Antagonist
The protagonist’s enemy or rival
Antihero
A protagonist who is not a traditional hero type of character , usually lacking charm, intelligence, competence or even strong morals
Buffoon
Comic character who is ignorant, crass, and often arrogant. Clowns, fools and jesters.
Clown
Comic character
Foil
Acts as a contrast to another character for the purpose of showing that other characters attributes
Protagonist
The hero or central character of a play
Apron stage
Part that sticks out in front of the proscenium arch
Arena stage
Stage surrounded all the way around by the audience, so the actors enter and exit via the aisles
Backstage
Area behind the stage where actors prepare etc.
Curtain call
Time after a play when audience keeps clapping so cast will come back out for another bow
Curtain line
The last line of a play before the curtain falls
Double part
A strategy that enables an actor to play at least two parts
Stage direction
In the script, where the playwright indicates how the play should be acted, set up etc.
Understudy
A back-up actor for a major part
Aside
When an actor talks to the audience, but the other characters can not hear it
Monologue
Speech given by a single speaker in a situation where there are listeners
Soliloquy
Speech given by a speaker that isn’t meant to be heard by any of the other characters
Catharsis
“Breakthrough” for a character
Flashback and flash forward
Presents memories/events that happened prior vs shows something from the future
