Techniques - Form & Genre Flashcards
allegory
a story, character, place , or event is used to convey a hidden meaning, typically moral or political, about real-world events or issues
(e.g. Eva Smith’s death is an allegory for the mistreatment of the lower class)
dialogue
a conversation between two or more people
microcosm
using a place, group of people, or event in the small-scale to represent something much larger
(e.g. The Birlings are a microcosm for upper class, Capitalist society)
monologue
a long speech by one character
morality play
a form of theatre from the Medieval era designed to teach the audience a lesson about good behaviour
mouthpiece
when the playwright places a character in the play who acts as a spokesman for their own views and beliefs
parable
a story used to teach a moral or spiritual lesson, typically told in the Bible by Jesus
realism
a form of theatre that focuses on everyday, middle-class life in order to create an illusion of reality, ad suggests that individuals have the power to choose what they do
real time
when the events in the play are happening at the same time as they would in real life, meaning there are no time jumps or periods of sped-up or slowed-down time
set
the stage, scenery, and props used to represent the setting of the play
stage direction
an instruction given in the script of a play to indicate how a line is given, what a character should do, or how the sound effects and lighting should be used
transition
how a playwright changes between scenes or acts of a play
well-made play
a form of play where the plot follows a strict structure and depends on reversals of fortune, and the climax comes towards the end of the play.
the story is based on a piece of information that is kept from some characters, but is known to others
whodunit
a murder mystery where the identity of the murderer is revealed at the end after a process of investigation and revelations
