Shakespearean Drama Terms Flashcardlet

Front

What is a soliloquy?

Back

A long speech delivered by a character who is alone on stage, revealing their private thoughts and emotions.

Front

What is a Shakespearean sonnet?

Back

A lyric poem of fourteen lines, written in iambic pentameter, following the rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg.

Front

What is a tragedy in drama?

Back

A play in which a main character, called a tragic hero, suffers a downfall due to external forces or a tragic flaw.

Front

What is the role of a chorus in Elizabethan drama?

Back

A figure that comments on the play's actions and describes events not shown on stage, often speaking in unison.

Front

What defines a comedy in drama?

Back

A type of drama that deals with light and amusing subjects, often containing wit, humor, ridicule, and irony.

Front

What is iambic pentameter?

Back

A metrical pattern in poetry consisting of five iambs (unstressed-stressed syllables) per line.

Front

What is a monologue?

Back

A long speech by a character in a play, which may be addressed to other characters or the audience.

Front

What is a tragic hero?

Back

A main character in a tragedy who experiences a downfall, often due to a tragic flaw.

Front

What is a tragic flaw?

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A weakness within a character that leads to their downfall in a tragedy.

Front

What is the significance of a prologue in a play?

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An introductory section that sets the stage for the story, often delivered by the chorus.