General Terms in English Literature – Glossary of Literary Terms in English Literature –Important literary terms in English literature

           Glossary of Literary Terms  in English Literature

What do you mean by a Play?

A play is a form of literary art in which life is copied by impersonation and mimetic imitation of action.

What are the requirements of a play?

The requirements of a play are plot, actors and setting.

How many forms a play has?

Play has three forms like comedy, tragedy and tragic- comedy.

Which are the elements of a play?

The important elements of a play are theme, plot, character, dialogue and setting.

How a plot is constructed and on which basis?

A plot is constructed on the basis of following elements; exposition or introduction of characters, rising action, falling action, climax and denouement.

Which kind of a play was a religious play?

A religious play in the past was consisting of miracle play or mystery play.

When was a religious play presented?

A religious play was presented on Christmas, Easter, holidays, life on Christ and Bible stories.

What was the purpose of presenting a religious play?

The purpose of presenting a religious play was to enforce a religious or ethical lesson so virtues and vice were presented as characters.

What do you mean by the term allegory?

Allegory is a symbolic narrative often in a story form. In an allegory the surface meaning have secondary importance. In an allegory character represent qualities. Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" is example of it.

What do you know by Antagonist?

An antagonist is a person in a play or a force who is the center of struggle of other characters. Tiresias in Oedipus Rex is an antagonist.

What do you mean by Catastrophe?

Catastrophe is a scene of calamity in a play in which the protagonist of the play faces deserving or undeserving punishment.

What do you mean by catharsis?

Catharsis is the purgation of the feelings of pity and fear among the audiences.

How would you define the term "climax"?

It is the highest point of conflict in a plot where the protagonist seems no way out. The inner conflict of Faustus in "Dr. Faustus" is example of it.

Define conflict"?

Conflict in a play is the struggle between protagonist and opposing forces that is resolved in the end of the play.

Define comic relief?

Comic relief is given to the audiences in the time of intense conflict to minimize the tension. The comic scene in Dr. Faustus is one of its examples.

Define Dramatic monologue"?

In this a character talks aloud to himself with out having an  listener. With the help of a dramatic monologue the audiences come to know the inner feelings of the character. Shakespeare's Hamlet is example of it.

Define Exposition"?

In an exposition the writer introduces characters, background information about the plot in the start of the play.

What is falling of action?

The falling of action means the end of conflict in which the protagonist recognizes the facts and figures of mistake. When Othello comes to know that lago responsible of plotting against him, is an example it.

What do you mean by foil?

A foil is a person in a play who resembles and contrast with the hero or heroin. For example, Emilia is foil of Desdemona.

Define term irony?

Irony means the difference between appearance and reality. In an ironic work the words are used with folded meaning. Jane Austen' Pride and Prejudice is full of irony.

Define  the term Plot?

Plot is a series of incidents unified in a narrative.

What is Reversal ?

Reversal is the point in a play where the action of the plot takes an unexpected turn on, the side of the protagonist. Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" is an example.

Define Satire"?

Satire is a literary piece of work in which a writer criticizes the follies, absurdities and stupidities of human beings. Pope' The Rape of the Lock is an example of it.

Define Sub plot?

A subordinate or a parallel plot in a play or in a story that is linked with the main plot is called a sub plot Shakespeare's Hamlet is an example of it.

What do you mean by the term, "Tragedy"?

It is type of a play in which the characters face reverse of the expectation. It is often worse than bad. "Oedipus Rex" is one of its examples.

What do you mean by the term, "Hamartia"?

Hamartia is limitation or weakness of a character that leads him to a serious fall. Faustus' wish to be a mighty god is example of it.

Define Tragic Hero?

A tragic hero in a play is a noble fellow of high repute but by virtue of fate and hamartia falls from glory into sufferings. Othello is one of examples of tragic heroes.

What do you mean by the term, "Parody'"?

Parody is a humorous and mocking imitation of a literary work.

What do you mean by the term, "Comedy"?

It is a type of play in which the persons experience a reverse of their expectations. A comedy has a happy end with pleasure. Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wild's is an example of it.

What do mean by an Act?

A Playwright employs acts to manage the changes in time, setting, characters or mood further divided into scenes on the stage. Acts can be further divided into scenes.