Drama Terms Worksheet

Each of the following terms is used ONCE to fill in the following blanks:

Drama, Script, Comedy, Tragedy, Tragic Hero, Tragic Flaw, Playwright, Exposition, Spectacle,
Act, Scene, Stage Directions, Setting, Action, Character, Protagonist, Antagonist, Foil, Static
Characters, Dynamic Characters, Dramatic Irony, Verbal Irony, Situational Irony, Dialogue,
Monologue, Soliloquy, Aside

1. A play is divided into sections called ______________.

2. Each of these sections is divided up into smaller sections known as _______________.
3. When a character dashes on stage and breathlessly announces that “The British are coming!” it
is an example of ___________.
4. An individual who takes part in a literary work is called a _______________.
5. A humorous work that is usually lighthearted is called a ________________.
6. An example of _________________________is when the audience at the horror movie knows
the axe murderer is hiding in the closet, but the cute girl, who is mindlessly looking for her
boyfriend and about to open the closet door, does not know the axe murderer is in there!
7. The background information given in a play through the use of character dialogue is called
_________________________.
8. When a character turns to the audience and makes a comment (usually humorous) that the
other characters do not notice, it is called an ___________________.
9. The main or most important character in a drama is called the ______________________.
10. A dramatic work that is mostly serious and shows the fall of an important person is called a
_______________________.
11. A story that is told through actors playing the part of characters is called a _________________.
12. A _______________ character is one who experiences a change of heart. An example is the
character of Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol.”
13. The visual picture that a play creates on stage is called a ____________________.
14. The dialogue and stage directions together are called the ________________ of a play.
15. In Romeo and Juliet there is a scene when Juliet is about to drink the potion that Friar Laurence
has given her to fall into a death-like sleep. She is alone in her room and expressing her fears
that the potion might kill her, that she might wake up too early and be in the tomb of her family,
etc. This type of speech is called a _____________________.
16. A type of character who is the protagonist and exhibits dignity and courage, yet will ultimately
face inevitable death is called a ________________________________.
17. Examples of _______________________ are Arthur Miller, William Shakespeare, and Lorraine
Hansberry.
18. The time and place associated with a play is called the _____________________.
19. The character in conflict with the main character is called the ___________________.
20. Examples of ________________________ are: “As the curtain rises, Reverend Parris is
discovered kneeling beside the bed, evidently in prayer” and “scrambling to his feet in a fury.”
21. ____________________________is when a character says one thing but means another. An
example of this would be if a mother questions her teenage daughter about where she has been
so late at night, and the daughter replies, “Thank you, Mom, for your trust!”
22. When a character makes a speech in a play to the audience or another character it is called a
____________________. An example of this is Mark Antony’s speech, “Friends, Romans,
countrymen, lend me your ears…”
23. Characters who do not change during the course of the play, like Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet are
called _________________.
24. When a character has a personal weakness that brings about his or her fall, it is called a
______________________________.
25. A conversation between two or more characters in a play is called
____________________________.
26. Examples of ________________________________ are: A police officer getting arrested for
shoplifting, a firefighter getting arrested for arson, a doctor getting arrested for murder, etc.
27. A __________________is a character whose traits are the opposite of those of a major
character. This serves to enhance the traits of the main character. An example is: Mercutio is
this type of character to Romeo. (Mercutio jokes constantly and makes fun of love, but Romeo is
always serious about love.)