ROMEO AND JULIET LITERARY TERMS TRAGEDY CENTRAL CHARACTER

ROMEO AND JULIET LITERARY TERMS

TRAGEDY • CENTRAL CHARACTER IS USUALLY OF NOBLE STATURE • HE HAS A FATAL FLAW THAT ULTIMATELY CAUSES HIS DOWNFALL • WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANYONE WANT TO READ A TRAGEDY? In other words, why would you listen to an Adele song?

COUPLET • TWO CONSECUTIVE LINES OF DRAMATIC POETRY THAT RHYME • RHYME=WORDS THAT HAVE THE SAME ENDING SOUND BUT NOT BEGINNING SOUND • END, BEND; SHOP, DROP; CLING, SING

SOLILOQUY • LONG SPEECH IN WHICH A CHARACTER WHO IS ALONE ON STAGE EXPRESSES HIS OR HER THOUGHTS ALOUD MONOLOGUE • LONG SPEECH ADDRESSED TO OTHER CHARACTERS ON STAGE, NOT TO THE AUDIENCE ASIDE • BRIEF REMARK MADE TO THE AUDIENCE THAT REVEALS A CHARACTERS THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS; THE OTHER CHARACTERS DO NOT HEAR

DIALOGUE • NORMAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN CHARACTERS

PROLOGUE • AN OPENING SPEECH THAT INTRODUCES THE PLAY’S CHARACTERS, PLOT, SETTING, AND MAY FORESHADOW WHAT IS TO COME

PROTAGONIST • THE GOOD GUY, HERO, MAIN CHARACTER ANTAGONIST • THE BAD GUY, WORKS AGAINST THE PROTAGONIST, STARTS CONFLICT

DRAMATIC FOIL • A PIECE OF THIN, SHINY MATERIAL THAT THINKS THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND IT; IT’S NOT A DRAMA QUEEN, BUT IT DOES HAVE DRAMA SHEEN • FOR REAL: A CHARACTER THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF ANOTHER IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT A TRAIT

DRAMATIC IRONY • WHEN THE AUDIENCE KNOWS SOMETHING THAT A CHARACTER DOES NOT

PUN (MY FAVORITE) • USE OF A WORD WITH MULTIPLE MEANINGS TO MAKE A JOKE OR WORDS THAT SOUND ALIKE BUT MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS