Drama+Terms

Additional terms for drama:
(See A. P. Lit. home page for main literary terms list.)


 * 77. anachronism**: a person or thing that is chronologically out of place

it is understood by the audience that the other characters cannot hear what he is saying
 * 78. aside:** when a character speaks directly to the audience, or to another character on stage, and

contrived ending whereby everything wraps up neatly
 * 79. deus ex machina** (DAY-oos, ex-MOCK-een-ah): literally, the “God machine;” any highly

stage sets are of interior rooms of homes
 * 80. fourth wall:** the invisible wall between the stage and the audience, so named because often


 * 81. monologue:** a long speech given by a character


 * 82. soliloquy:** when a character speaks his thoughts aloud onstage using monologue [[image:to_be_or_not_to_be.jpg align="right"]]

directions so that actors know where to move. (See diagram below.)
 * 83. stage directions:** a directorial device whereby the stage is divided into quadrants and given

for theatrical purposes. The fourth wall is one example. (See above.) In some early plays a trap door would mark the entrance into hell. Asides and soliloquys are also theatrical conventions, since the audience understands that we alone are to hear them.
 * 84. theatrical conventions:** devices used by directors and actors that the audience understands


 * 85. tragedy:** Basically, any work of serious import wherein the main character is of noble stature, but whose flaws and the flaws of his society lead to his own demise.

Tragedy Handout

Note that the "left" and "right" are from the actors' point of view. However, when referring to "house right" or "house left," these are from the audience's point of view. We refer to the back of the stage as "up" because originally, many theaters had stages that slanted up to allow for full viewing of the audience, which was on a flat floor. Now our audiences slant up and our stages are flat.... which makes acting on them much easier!
 * Diagram of a stage layout**