Drama Glossary

A type of play developed during the Victorian period that takes place in a drawing room, a room in a home where guests are entertained (such as a living room).

A series of events in a performance or piece of literature that are a dream experienced by one of the characters.

An imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice.

A drink or potion intended to cure illness.

In Greek mythology, a paradise for heroic and virtuous souls in the afterlife.

A style or genre of drama characterized by realism and an absence of theatrical devices. Often associated with the work of Bertolt Brecht.

An ending speech that sums up the central point of the performance, often thanking the audience or asking for applause.

Also called “anagnorisis” in Ancient Greek tragedy, this is the recognition by the hero of his tragic fate, and his inability to change it.

A narrative or dramatic structure that uses loosely connected scenes to tell a story.

Something that is named after a person, such as a show or song title.

Obscure and understood by only a small number of people with special knowledge or interest.

A speech given in honor of someone who has recently died.