Plot: Plot is the sequence of events that make up a story.

1. A plot can be used to create suspense and tension in a play. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the
audience is kept in suspense as the two lovers try to escape their fate by eloping.
2. A plot can also be used to illustrate a moral lesson. For example, in The Crucible, the story of the Salem
Witch Trials is used to show the consequences of hysteria and false accusations.

Character: Character is a fictional person in a play or story.

1. Characters can be used to represent certain aspects of human nature. For example, in A Streetcar Named
Desire, Blanche Dubois is used to represent the fragility of the human psyche.
2. Characters can also be used to drive the plot forward. For example, in Hamlet, the audience follows
Hamlet on his quest for revenge against Claudius, which drives the plot of the play.

Dialogue: Dialogue is the words spoken by the characters in a play.

1. Dialogue can be used to reveal character traits and motivations. For example, in Macbeth, Lady
Macbeth’s dialogue reveals her ambition and her hunger for power.
2. Dialogue can also be used to reveal plot points. For example, in Othello, Iago’s dialogue reveals his plan
to manipulate Othello into believing that Desdemona is unfaithful.

Comedy: Comedy is a type of theatre that is intended to be humorous.

1. Comedy often uses satire to make its point. For example, in The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar
Wilde uses satire to mock social conventions and hypocrisies. 2. Comedy also often uses physical humor
and exaggeration to create its effects. For example, in The Producers, the characters use physical humor to
poke fun at the characters and the plot.

Tragedy: Tragedy is a type of theatre that typically focuses on the downfall of a protagonist due to a
character flaw or a combination of external and internal forces.

1. Tragedy often uses heightened language to illustrate the characters’ emotions. For example, in King Lear,
Shakespeare uses poetic language to illustrate the characters’ pain and suffering.
2. Tragedy also often uses foreshadowing to hint at the eventual downfall of the protagonist. For example, in
Oedipus Rex, the audience is given clues throughout the play that hint at Oedipus’ fate.

Farce: Farce is a type of theatre that relies on physical humor and exaggerated situations for its
effects.

1. Farce often uses mistaken identities to create its humor. For example, in Twelfth Night, Viola disguises
herself as a man, which leads to confusion and comedy.
2. Farce also often relies on wordplay and puns to create its humor. For example, in The Comedy of Errors,
the characters use wordplay to create confusion and comedy.

Melodrama: Melodrama is a type of theatre that relies on exaggerated characters, situations, and
emotions for its effects.

1. Melodrama often uses characters that are larger than life and have extreme emotions. For example, in A
Tale of Two Cities, the characters are often melodramatic and have extreme reactions to the events of the
story.
2. Melodrama also often relies on coincidences and dramatic ironies to create its effects. For example, in Les
Misérables, the characters’ lives are all intertwined in unexpected ways.