Drama Terminology

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Character

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A person who appears in the work and takes part in the drama.

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Protagonist

Back

The character or characters around whom the story revolves; they are the main or most important characters.

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Antagonist

Back

A major character in the play whose ideas and/or values conflict with those of the protagonist.

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Setting

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The place in which the action occurs.

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Plot

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The actual story that moves the drama along.

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Theme

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The main idea the writer is trying to convey.

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Conflict

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The point of tension that moves the story forward.

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Act

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A division of a play much like a chapter is a division within a novel.

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Scene

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A further division within an act.

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Stage directions

Back

Comments that identify parts of the setting or the use of props or costumes, give further information about a character, or provide background information; in Shakespeare's plays, stage directions can also appear in brackets, parenthesis, and/or half-brackets.