INTRO TO THEATRE CH4

In a traditional tragedy, the hero or heroine is caught in circumstances from which there is no escape and which inevitably lead to a fateful end.

In which tragic form are the central figures of the play caught in a series of tragic circumstances?

In the modern period, tragicomedy has become the predominant form of many of the best playwrights.

Exaggeration is one of the main ingredients of

In which comic form does an idea or concept turn the accepted notion of things upside down?

Which comic form requires a temporary suspension of the natural laws of probability and logic?

Comedy of Manners is a form of comic drama that emphasizes atmosphere and witty dialogue.

Heroic Dramas tend to have happy endings.

Originally meant "song drama" or "music drama"

Stories of everyday people, often centered in the family

Mixes serious and comic matter in same play

Is premised on the fact that the world can be cruel and unjust

Thrives on exaggeration, broad physical humor, elaborate plots, and stereotyped characters

Employs wit and irony to expose evil foolishness

Points up the foibles and peculiarities of the upper class

Similar to tragedy, but with an optimistic world view

One of the primary genres; devoted to provoking amusement and laughter

Bourgeois or Domestic Drama consists of plays that deal with middle or lower class characters that face problems of the family and the home rather than affairs of state.

Traditional tragedy assumes a basically optimistic view of the universe, placing faith in the ability of humanity to overcome adversity.

If a playwright is writing about a historical event, it is inappropriate for the playwright to change the order of events to suit his/her purpose.

Two ideas essential to tragic drama are the concept that human beings are capable of extraordinary accomplishments, and the notion that the world is potentially cruel and unjust.

Farce relies on knockabout physical humor, gross exaggerations, and occasional vulgarity.

In ________, the language used in the play is prose.

In which tragic form do the characters tend to be regular men and women?

Which comic form has few intellectual pretensions; its humor arises as the result of ridiculous situations?

Which comic form relies on sophisticated language to attack evil and foolishness? Both traditional and modern tragedy

The point of view of a dramatic text helps to determine its genre.

In ________, the hero or heroine is a person of social stature: a king, a queen, a general, a nobleman, etc.

The word "genre" means an ability to "generalize about all human beings by observing a small portion of their actions."

In ________, the situation becomes irretrievable; there is no turning back, there is no way out.

One type of comic form that relies on gross exaggeration and occasional vulgarity is ...

One of the hallmarks of melodrama is that character tend to be complex and contradictory in their motivations and actions.

In which tragic form do the heroes or heroines meet their fate with dignity after finding themselves in a situation from which there is no honorable avenue of escape?