English 4th qt

• Tone


  The author's attitude toward the work's theme or subject matter, can be informal, formal, sarcastic, serious, humorous, cheerful, sad, etc.
• Mood


  An element of literature that elicits readers' feelings through the use of words and imagery, can be peaceful, violent, gloomy, cheerful, positive, hopeful, fearful, etc.
• Knowing how to determine the tone, mood, technique, and purpose of a literary work is important and beneficial to one who intends to write a review
• Literally


  Exactly as it says it is, the opposite of "metaphorically"
• When writing, an author is likely to make use of several techniques that add artistic value to the narrative and help the writer express his or her message creatively
• Figurative language


  The use of words or sentences that are not supposed to be taken literally. Examples include similes, metaphors, allegories, and hyperbolic statements.
• Repetition


  The reiteration of certain words in order to emphasize a certain message. This is most often used in dialogue, or narration from the point of view of a character.
• Emotive language


  Words that stir the emotions of readers.
• Humor


  Examples include puns, satire, and parody. These are used to lighten the tone of the piece.
• Imagery


  The use of words that vividly describe the elements of the narrative. This allows the reader to imagine the setting, the characters, and the events in the story.
• Writer's purpose


  The aim the writer is trying to achieve through their work. This may be to inform, to entertain, or to persuade. It is possible for a writer to have more than one purpose.
• Feedback


  Information or criticism that is meant to let someone know what he/she can do in order to improve his or her work
• Knowing how to provide critical feedback is important when writing a review of a literary piece
• Before writing a review

  1. Read the work thoroughly

  2. Understand the entire piece
• A formal review is more than just a simple opinion piece
• Guidelines for writing a critical review

  • Remember to review the writing and not the writer
  • Point out the strengths of the work as well
  • Provide suggestions for the writer
  • Be objective
• When giving feedback, it would be better to focus on the words, the sentences, and the structure and flow of the piece rather than the individual who wrote it
• Provide suggestions for how the work could still be improved. Be specific but polite in your suggestions
• Play

  A story that is acted out on stage
• One-act play


  A type of play that is composed of just a single plot and a few characters
• Analyzing a one-act play and writing a play review

  1. Analyze the elements of the play

  2. Evaluate the word choice used in the play

  3. Observe the characters' actions

  4. Take note of the plot

  5. Provide critical feedback
• The review should be objective, respectful, and contain suggestions
• Morality plays


  Depict the struggle between good and evil
• Elizabethan Drama


  • Throughout the Middle Ages, English dramatization was mostly religious and instructional
  • Main structures were miracle plays and morality plays
• Miracle plays


  • Enactments of stories from the Bible and the lives of the holy people
• Elizabethan tragedy a picture of human life depicting pain and suffering
• Elizabethan tragedy

  • Ends with an unhappy conclusion, typically the death of the main character(s)
  • The catastrophic ending should not be brought about by accident, but directly caused by a flaw in the protagonist's character
  • The protagonist should possess a quality that outweighs his or her flaws or defects
• William Shakespeare


  The master of tragedy, his finest creations include Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello
• Christopher Marlowe


  Wrote six or seven plays, including the tragedies Edward II, The Jew of Malta, Doctor Faustus, and Tamburlaine
• Tamburlaine is particularly significant because among the many English tragedies, it is the first to use the blank verse, a type of poetry that uses regular meter but does not have rhymes
• Thomas Kyd


  One of the dramatists who greatly influenced the development of Elizabethan drama, his work The Spanish Tragedy is considered as having pioneered a new genre: the revenge tragedy or revenge play
• Thomas Middleton


  A celebrated playwright of the late-Elizabethan era, among the most prolific, penning many plays and collaborating with other writers, his masterpieces are considered to be Women Beware Women and The Changeling
• Shakespearean comedies

  • The theme prevalent in all Shakespearean comedies is love
  • Presents a happy ending, typically involving the marriage of unwedded characters or the declaration of love between two characters
  • Before the happy conclusion, the characters are portrayed as struggling to overcome some difficulties caused by their elders
  • Language is used to make the drama comedic, with insults, metaphors, and witty wordplay
  • Mistaken identity is another element often present, with characters sometimes taking on disguises
• Shakespearean comedies are far from shallow, exhibiting incredible aptitude in depicting many aspects of human nature and delightful scenes
• Ben Jonson's comedy The Alchemist


  • Reflects a realistic style, different from Shakespeare's romantic comedies
  • Reflects life in London around the year 1600
• Thomas Dekker's comedy The Shoemaker's Holiday


  • Uses multiple plot lines to seamlessly put together three subplots
  • Depicts everyday life in London, with themes including commerce, gender, social class, fashion, and wartime
• Robert Greene's comedy Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay


  • Has a multiple plot structure
  • Was so successful that it prompted the writing of a sequel
• The Globe Theater


  • It was the primary performance center in Elizabethan London
• The Pit or Yard


  The space surrounding the stage, the least expensive area where the ordinary citizens (groundlings) paid one penny to watch the play
• The Galleries


  • Three levels of roofed galleries accessed through a hallway in the back, with wooden seats and a rooftop offering cover from harsh weather