Literary Terms

• Drama- written to be performed for an audience

• Cast- list of characters at the beginning of the play; features every character that appears in the play

• Stage Directions- details that specify how the characters should look, speak, behave, and when actors should enter and exit the stage

Literary Terms

• Act- one major division of the play (like a chapter). Shakespeare’s plays each have five acts. Each act is divided into scenes. An act generally focuses on one major aspect of the plot or theme. Between acts, stagehands may change scenery, and the scenery may shift to another locale.

Literary Terms

• Scene- a subdivision of an act; usually signifies a change in characters, plot, and location featured in play

• Protagonist- character the audience identifies with

• Antagonist- character or trait against the protagonist

Literary Terms

• Tragedy- drama in which the main character, called the tragic hero, suffers from a good fortune. Usually occurs because of some tragic flaw (ex: pride or indecisiveness)

• Fatal flaw- deadly mistake

Introduces the subjects/themes of the play

Gives a plot summary of the play

Puts the audience at ease

Apologizes in advance for any mistakes

A single character who speaks directly to the audience on behalf of the actors

Reads the prologue and epilogue to audience

Bridges the gap between audience and actors Reveals inner thoughts of actors Explains important parts of the setting and plot

Wordplay/Pun: playing around with the meaning and sound of words

ex. Lines 1-5: “coals..colliers..choler..collar”

What statue in the room is a great example of a pun?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2Wt3uct9_k

Now it’s your turn. Write your own pun and make sure your audience understands the humor.

Bawdy humor: crude, risque, indecent jokes - Just look for it in the first page!!

The type of English spoken in England during Shakespeare’s time.

Archaic Diction: Uses “thee,” “thou,” “dost,” “mighst,” “shall” etc.

Inverted word order: verb and/or object comes before the subject.

ex. You will love me Me wilt thou love.

a combination of two words that normally contradict each other

ex. (I.1.180-187) “brawling love, loving hate…” - Romeo

The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in literature.

•ex. (I.4.113-118) - Romeo foreshadows _____

14-line poem: 3 quatrains, 1 couplet written in iambic pentameter rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

ex. Prologue

Four lines of poetry

ex. Prologue

Two consecutive rhyming lines of poetry

Contain a complete thought

ex. Prologue

A measurement of rhythm in a line of poetry Iamb: 1 unstressed syllable, 1 stressed

syllable Pentameter: five feet, or pairs of syllables

Ex. “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life”

five feet, or pairs of syllables = pentametereach foot has unstressed, stressed = iambic

Unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter How Shakespeare usually writes his

plays

ex. Almost the whole play!

FOIL CHARACTERS

• A character who provides a strong contrast to another character

• May make another character look better by comparison or emphasize the other character’s distinctive trait

IMAGERY

• Imagery- descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses

• Helps create an emotional response in the reader

What light and dark imagery appears through the characters of Romeo and Juliet?

1. Light2. Dark

a gap between what is expected to happen and what really happens

ex. (I.5.152-155) “My only love sprung from my only hate” - Juliet

A gap between what the audience knows and what the characters know

ex. __________________________

VERBAL IRONY

• When a character says one thing but means something else

• Example: Juliet says, “yet let me weep for such a feeling loss,” when speaking with her mother in Act III, Scene 5. Lady Capulet believes she is talking about weeping over Tybalt’s death when Juliet is really talking about weeping over Romeo’s banishment.

Monologue• 1 character speaking for an extended time• Intended to have listeners, such as the

audience (like the prologue) or another character

How is this different from a soliloquy?

Soliloquy• A speech in which a character speaks

thoughts aloud• Generally, character on stage alone, not

speaking to other characters or the audience

• Examples:

Aside• A character speaks his or her thoughts

aloud• Meant to be heard by audience but not

other characters

How is this different from monologue?How is this different from a soliloquy?

Soliloquy vs. Monologue vs.Aside

a comparison between two unlike things that is drawn out over several lines

ex. (I.5.104-117) – kissing compared to prayer Juliet is a “holy shrine” or temple His lips are pilgrims or saints Juliet: lips are for prayer; saints shake hands Romeo: let lips do what hands do Juliet: saints don’t initiate, they give when people pray to them Romeo: then don’t move while I take what I pray for Romeo: now my sin is gone Juliet: yes, it is on my lips Romeo: Oh no! Let me take it back again