Unit 4: Craft and Structure

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. narrative
    an account that tells the particulars of an act or event
    Drama is narrative, or storytelling, written for performance.
  2. performance
    a dramatic or musical entertainment
    Drama is narrative, or storytelling, written for performance.
  3. drama
    a work intended for performance by actors on a stage
    A drama is a play, a story written to be performed by actors on a stage or in a film.
  4. character
    an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction
    Like other works of narrative literature, dramatic works feature characters, or personalities who take part in the action of the story.
  5. conflict
    opposition in a work of fiction between characters or forces
    The main characters face a conflict, a struggle or problem that propels the sequence of events called the plot.
  6. plot
    the story that is told, as in a novel, play, movie, etc.
    The main characters face a conflict, a struggle or problem that propels the sequence of events called the plot.
  7. climax
    the decisive moment in a novel or play
    The highest point of interest in the plot, the climax, occurs during the point of greatest tension between characters.
  8. resolution
    something settled
    As the story winds down, the resolution of the conflict leads to the conclusion of the play.
  9. act
    a single division of a play, opera, or ballet
    Acts are the basic units of organization in a drama.
  10. scene
    a subdivision of an act of a play
    Acts are often further divided into scenes.
  11. playwright
    someone who writes plays
    The author of a play, called a playwright or dramatist, writes the script, or text of the story.
  12. dramatist
    someone who writes plays
    The author of a play, called a playwright or dramatist, writes the script, or text of the story.
  13. script
    a written version of a play or other dramatic composition
    The author of a play, called a playwright or dramatist, writes the script, or text of the story.
  14. dialogue
    the lines spoken by characters in drama or fiction
    The script contains dialogue, or the characters' spoken words.
  15. stage direction
    instruction or description written in the script of a play
    It also contains stage directions, which are instructions about how the play should be performed.
  16. theme
    a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary work
    Through this effect, the dramatist explores a theme—a deeper meaning or insight about life.
  17. set
    scenery used to identify a location of a dramatic production
    Sets are constructions that define the area in which the play's action occurs.
  18. prop
    an object used on the set of a play or movie
    Props are movable objects, like swords or pens, that actors use on stage.
  19. tragedy
    drama exciting terror or pity
    A tragedy traces the downfall of the main character, often called the tragic hero.
  20. tragic flaw
    the error of a hero in a drama that leads to his downfall
    The hero is admirable but is defeated by a tragic flaw—a mistake or a character defect.
  21. comedy
    light and humorous drama with a happy ending
    A comedy has a happy ending. Comedies usually feature a series of events in which the order or balance of the world is disrupted.
  22. screenplay
    a detailed script for a film or television show
    For example, many screenplays, or scripts written for films, occur in three acts.
  23. chorus
    actors who comment on the action in a classical Greek play
    Ancient Greek playwrights also used the convention of the chorus, a group of observers who were part of the play but not part of the story.
  24. narrator
    someone who tells a story
    In some modern dramas, a narrator replaces the chorus.
  25. monologue
    a dramatic speech by a single actor
    Monologue: A long, uninterrupted speech delivered by a character to other characters on stage
  26. soliloquy
    a dramatic speech giving the illusion of unspoken reflection
    Soliloquy: A speech in which a character, alone on stage, reveals private thoughts that the audience is allowed to overhear
  27. aside
    a line spoken by an actor not intended for others on stage
    Aside: A brief remark a character makes to the audience rather than to other characters
  28. protagonist
    the principal character in a work of fiction
    Most plays focus on a single main character—the protagonist.
  29. antagonist
    the main character who opposes the protagonist in a narrative or play
    The character who opposes the main character and either creates or adds to the conflict is called the antagonist.
  30. static
    showing little if any change
    Static characters: Unchanging; remain the same
  31. dynamic
    characterized by action or forcefulness of personality
    Dynamic characters: Change and grow
  32. characterization
    a vivid verbal description
    In any work of literature, a writer uses the tools of character development, or characterization, to show what characters are like.
  33. direct
    straightforward in speech, manner, or behavior
    In direct characterization, a writer simply tells the audience about a character.
  34. indirect
    not straight in manner or language or behavior
    In indirect characterization, the writer shows the audience what a character is like in any of the following ways:
Created on Tue Oct 13 09:29:32 EDT 2020 (updated Wed Oct 14 17:25:29 EDT 2020)

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