dramaliterature written to be performed
closet drama play meant to be read instead of performed
dialogue conversation between 2 or mor characters
monologue extended speech by one character
soliloquy convention of drama in which a character speaks directly to an audience, revealing thoughts and feelings which other characters present on stage assumed not to hear
asides brief comment spoken to the audience assumed characters dont hear it
chorus comment in unision
protagonist the hero
persona narrator
morality play medieval christian allegory 
mystery play depict biblical scenes
picture looks like a room missing a 4th wall
proscenium arch arch that surrounds opening
realismwriting that stresses setting and trappings of daily life
box set gives the illusion of looking into a room
surrealistic allows unconventional use of syntax
expressionistic potrays inner experience
thrust stage stage that juts out to audience viewed from 3 sides
arena stage surrounded by audeince
theaterin the round arena stage
tragedy recounts the downfall of an individual
catharsis emotional reaction
hamartia tragic flaw
hubris tragic flaw that exsist in protagonist
irony 2 contrasting levels of meaning
dramatic irony audience knows something the protagonist doesnt
cosmic irony fate frustrates any effort a character might make
pathos suffering that exsists to satisfy the morbid sensibilities of the audeince
tragicomedies elizabiethian or jacobian drama using both comedy and tragedy
melodrama appeals shamelessly to emotions
naturalism belief that lfe should not be idealized when depicted in literature
old comedyheavily satirized the religion and society of 5th century b.c. greece
new comedy 3rd and 4th century bc comedies of romance
satire literary attack on vanity or folly
farce sterotypical characters engage in horseplay or slapstick
romantic comedy idealized lovers suffer difficulty until an ineviatble happy ending
comedy of humor characters whos behavior is controlled by a trait
comedy of manners satire comedy
sentimental comedy reaction agianst the comedy of manners
high comedydenote comedy that appeals to the intelect
low comedy denote comedy that has little or no intelectiual humor
anti heros has opposite attributes as hero
black comedycomedy that relies on the morbid or absurd
theater of the absurdtype of drama that discards conventions of plots character and motivation in order to to depict a world where nothing makes sense