Literary Terms related to Drama Quiz

Freytag’s Pyramid

• Act One features Exposition, introducing characters and setting.
• Act Two involves Rising Action, building tension through events.
• Act Three is the Turning Point, where the tragic hero's goals seem attainable.
• Act Four represents Falling Action, leading to the climax’s consequences.
• Act Five concludes with Resolution, tying up loose ends.
• In tragedy, the hero typically faces a personal catastrophe, responsible for their downfall, despite noble intentions.

Shakespeare's Plays

• Comedies often include failed aspirations that lead to multiple marriages, such as:
  • The Taming of the Shrew
  • Much Ado About Nothing
  • As You Like It
  • Twelfth Night
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Tragedies feature the fall of noble characters due to flaws, including:
  • Hamlet
  • Othello
  • King Lear
  • Macbeth
• Histories follow similar tragic structures, seen in:
  • Richard II
  • Richard III
  • Henry IV
  • Henry VI Parts 1 and 2
  • Edward III
  • Julius Caesar
  • Antony and Cleopatra
• Romance plays conclude happily but differ from comedies by not focusing on young lovers.

Evolution of Shakespearean English

• Shakespeare's language is a form of Modern English, approximately 400 years old.
• Distinct pronouns include thou, thee, thy, and thine for singular address.
• Verbs often feature inflections such as hadst and wouldst.
• Syntax is frequently inverted for poetic impact.
• Shakespeare contributed significantly to the English vocabulary, coining many current words.

Definition of Drama

• Drama is meant for performance with dialogues and physical actions.
• It comprises three main parts:
  • Beginning (Exposition)
  • Middle (Climax)
  • End (Denouement)
• Types of drama include:
  • Comedy: Ends happily, focuses on humor.
  • Tragedy: Involves the fall of a superior character due to flaws; aims for audience catharsis.
  • Tragi-Comedy: Blends tragic and comic elements, reflecting life’s complexities.

Literary Terms Related to Drama

• Playwright: A writer of plays, also known as a dramatist.
• Stage Directions: Instructions in scripts that describe settings and actor movements.
• Dramatis Personae: A list of characters in a play, typically at the start of the script.
• Blank Verse: Unrhymed iambic pentameter, common in Shakespeare’s works.
• Hamartia: The tragic flaw causing the hero's downfall, exemplified by King Lear’s judgment and Macbeth’s ambition.
• Tragic Hero: A noble character suffering due to flaws and fate.
• Catharsis: Emotional release felt by the audience through witnessing tragedy.
• Chorus: A group that comments on the play’s action, establishing mood and atmosphere.