Romeo And Juliet Flashcards
Drama
A type of story writing meant to be performed (in plays, for a live audience). Meant to be emotional and action filled (scenery is more imagined, however so the actors tend to have descriptive speeches for the “where” elements).
Iambic pentameter
In a single line of poetry, there will be TEN syllables within the line, five stressed and five unstressed (see prologue notes). Blank verse is commonly used in iambic pentameter poetry.
Blank verse
Poetry that does not rhyme. Sounds more controversial (also called prose)
Heroic couplet
When two lines of poetry in a row end in the same rhyme scheme
Slant rhyme
Forcing a rhyme pattern to “fit” because the words look like the same when spelled, or sound similar to each other.
Ex. Pain/again or where/here
Lines
The speaking parts of the actors. Will be indicated with their character name.
Ex. Romeo: She speaks! O, speak again bright angle!
Stage directions
Not meant to be spoken. Indicated by (parenthesis). Tells actor how to say or do something
Ex. Juliet (softly) Art thou gone?
Act
Indicates large chunks of time. In plays, usually a day or so. One overall place, but multiple scenes can be in one act.
Scenes
The setting of the play. Scenes include different actors at different times too. For example, Romeo is in scene one, Juliet is in two. Scenes are short time periods, such as morning, noon, evening.
Prologue
An actor called the Chorus (narrator), would give some preview info about exposition. The prologue helped settle the audience down.
Paradox
A statement that contradicts itself
Ex. Love is awful
Oxymoron
Like paradox, but it’s two words placed together that are opposites
Ex. Bitter sweet, icy hot
Monologue
Lengthy speech by one actor, who forgets about the other actors onstage, who might be listening, but don’t listen
Courtly love
Popular style of writing and behaving in Shakespeare’s time. High class people exchange flowery vows of love to one another, and are blinded by their romance, thinking of nothing else
Alliteration
Repeating consonant sounds at the beginning of words, often used in poetry.
Ex. What will you do, my wonderful lady?
