| Allusion | A reference in one work of literature to a person, place or event in another work of literature or in history, art or music |
| Comic Relief | A humorous or farcical (absurd) interlude in a serious literary work or drama, especially a tragedy intended to relieve the dramatic tension |
| Personification | An animal, object, natural force or idea is given a personality and described as a human |
| Metaphor | The comparison of two unlike things (does not use like or as) |
| Prose | Ordinary speech or writing metrical structure. |
| Pun | A humorous use of a word or phrase to suggest more meaning at the same time |
| Apostrophe | The speaker directly addresses a person who is not there, an imaginary entity, something inhuman, or a concept. |
| Soliloquy | When a character speaks to himself and reveals his or her thoughts without addressing the listener |
| Simile | A comparison made between two dissimilar things using the words like or as |
| Oxymoron | A figure of speech that combines apparently contradictory terms |
| Hubris | Excessive pride or self-confidence |
| Conflict | A struggle between two opposing forces (internal or external) |
| Conceit | An elaborate and often surprising comparison between two highly dissimilar things. Often take the form of extended metaphors. |
| Sonett | A 14-line poem, usually written in iambic pentameter, with a varied rhyme scheme. |
| Aside | Words spoken by a character in play, usually in an undertone and not intended |
| Monologue | A long, uninterrupted speech presented in front of other characters |
| Concealment | When a character appears on stage but the other characters are unaware of his or her presence. |
| Foil | A character who sets off another character by contrast (the characters are opposite of one another) |
| Hamartia | tragic flaw which causes a character’s downfall |
| Couplet | Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme |
Dramatic Terms Quiz for Romeo and Juliet
November 10, 2019