Literary Studies

Characters in a play, story, or work who have limited development and lack complexity.

Characters in a play, story, or work who are fully developed and complex.

When the audience knows something that the characters in a play do not, creating suspense and intrigue.

Communication between two or more characters expressing thoughts or opinions, which drives the plot forward.

A speech made by a character alone on stage, revealing their inner thoughts and feelings.

A narrator who is a character within the story and participates in the events.

A narrator who is outside the story and does not participate in the events.

A narrator whose presence is clearly stated and acknowledged within the story.

A narrator whose presence is implied but not explicitly revealed, often creating a sense of objectivity.

A narrator whose perspective is biased, unreliable, or lacking in knowledge, potentially leading to misinterpretations.

A narrative that exists outside of the main story, often providing background information or context.

A narrative that exists within the main story, often told by a character within the narrative.

A narrator who has access to all characters' thoughts, feelings, and events, providing a complete and objective view.

In literature, these are texts that aim to tell stories, often using fictional elements. They can be novels, poems, and even diaries.

Texts that often aim to be neutral and objective in their presentation of information.

The perspective from which a story is told. It can be the author's voice, a character's perspective, or an all-knowing viewpoint.

A narrative perspective told from the character's own point of view, using 'I' or 'we'.

The function of literature goes beyond simply telling a story. It can also offer insights into human emotions, societal issues, and political viewpoints.

A broad definition of literature considers various forms of expression, including written, spoken, and visual forms.

This definition focuses on specific features and aspects of literature, often centering on aesthetics or artistic values.

The speaker in a poem, distinct from the poet themselves.

The person the lyric persona is addressing in a poem.

Expressing personal opinions, emotions, and experiences clearly and directly.

Expressing personal feelings indirectly, hinting at them through actions, imagery, or tone.

The actual content of a poem, what it's about.

How the content of a poem is expressed, its language, structure, and form.

The arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.

The unit of measurement in a line of poetry, consisting of stressed and unstressed syllables.

A pattern of syllables in a line of poetry, like iamb or trochee.

The arrangement of lines into groups within a poem.

The subject whose perspective is being shown in a text. An external focalizer is the narrator, while an internal focalizer is a character in the text.

The focalizer is on the same level as the characters, showing their thoughts and feelings. This can be done through interior monologue or free indirect discourse.

A direct representation of a character's inner thoughts and emotions, often presented in quotes. For example: "Why did I say that? I'm so stupid!"

A narrative style where a character's thoughts are presented in the third person, but with a strong sense of their subjective experience. For example: "She couldn't believe she had said that."

The way a dramatic text is presented to an audience, including the actors, their movements, gestures, facial expressions, and the environment of the performance. Not just the written text, but the complete experience.

A theatrical space designed for large audiences, often with a semi-circular layout. It was used for ancient Greek and Roman plays.

A type of theater space popularized during Shakespeare's time. The stage is close to the audience, and plays are usually performed in the day. The stage area extends forward toward the audience.

A modern theater design that uses an invisible 'fourth wall' to create an illusion of reality. It is named because the stage is like a picture frame and the audience looks into the scene.