Play Structure
The name of a play
Title
A situation where the expected outcome does not happen
Situational Irony
The main character
Protagonist
A destiny over which a hero has little or no control
Fate
Two or more words having the same spelling or pronunciation but having different meanings and origins. For example: sole, soul
Homonym
A large subdivision of a play; made up of scenes
Act
A remark made to the audience, unheard by other characters on stage
Aside
A play or a story in which the central character meets with misfortune
Tragedy
A play or a story in which the central character meets with misfortune
Tragedy
A play on words in which a word or words are meant to have more than one meaning. For example, "A boiled egg is hard to beat" or "The teacher has class."
Pun
A single situation or unit of dialogue in a play. Several of these make up an act.
Scene
A moment in a play or text when the audience has knowledge that characters do not
Dramatic Irony
A character whose purpose is to highlight the characteristics of another character (usually the protagonist), often by having contrasting qualities
Dramatic Foil
A statement that seems contradictory but actually may be true. Because this idea/wording is surprising, it catches the reader's attention
Paradox
When two contrasting words are grouped together for effect. For example: sweet sorrow, jumbo shrimp, act naturally, or alone together
Oxymoron
In a play, this is a speech, often in verse, addressed to the audience at the opening of a play.
Prologue
A character alone on the stage verbalizing his or her own thoughts for the benefits of the audience
Soliloquy
A protagonist with heroic traits that earn them the sympathy of the audience, but who also has flaws/mistakes that ultimately lead to their own downfall.
Tragic Hero
A reference to a well-known character or thing from outside the text, usually from mythology or another well-known piece of literature
Allusion
A form of parallelism that emphasizes strong contrasts
Antithesis
Notes included in a drama to describe how the work is to be performed or staged. They are printed in italics and are not spoken aloud.
Stage Directions
A lengthy speech made by one character to a group of characters
Monologue
A deficiency in the hero that results in their downfall
Tragic Flaw
A descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned
Epithet
A dominant idea in a text
Motif