LITERARY TEXT AND DRAMA

DRAMA Drama is a piece of literature that is meant to be performed.

It is also a composition that tells a story by a means of dialogue and action performed by actors. Example: Romeo and Juliet.

ASIDE VS. SOLILOQUY

Aside - the actor turns and speaks directly to the audience.

Further understanding: The other actors on set can physically hear the words, but as their characters they pretend as if nothing was said. The audience understands that the speech was meant for them only.

ASIDE VS. SOLILOQUY

Soliloquy is a long piece where the actor speaks to himself or herself.

Example:

DIALOGUE VS. MONOLOGUE

Dialogue - conversation between two or more people

Monologue - a long speech in which one character speaks at length to another character

Example of Dialogue:

DIALOGUE VS. MONOLOGUE Example of Monologue: “You know the thing about a shark, he’s got

lifeless eyes. Black eyes like a doll’s eyes. When he comes at ya, he doesn’t seem to be living until he bites ya and those black eyes roll over and white and then, ah, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screaming. The ocean turns red and despite all the pounding and hollering, they all come in and they rip you to pieces.” – Robert Shaw: JAWS.

PROTAGONIST, ANTAGONIST, & MORAL DILEMMA

Protagonist – seeks to solve a problem or settles conflict

Antagonist - prevents the main

character from solving the problem

Moral Dilemma - Internal conflict the character is facing

CHARACTER FOIL Character Foil - character who has traits the exact

opposite of the protagonist

COMIC RELIEF Comic Relief - the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or

witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension

STAGE DESIGN & STAGE DIRECTION

Stage Design - the way the setting of the play looks on stage

Stage Direction - tells the actor exactly what to do and how to do it

DICTION

Diction – the word choice the writer uses Example: “She ain’t concelin nothing. I never seen nobody like

her.” – Of Mice and Men

DRAMATIC IRONY

Dramatic Irony – the difference in what one character says and thinks and what the audience knows is true.

Example: Scar acted as though he was looking out for Simba but instead was plotting to take the throne from Simba

MOTIF Motif - a distinctive feature or dominant idea in a piece of drama

Unlike a symbol, a motif only matters to the story that it is in. A symbol would work in any story, but a motif only works in that particular story.

What do these motifs represent?