‘Fast speeds’ dramatic techniques
N.B. Examples are taken from the Cambridge School Shakespeare edition of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
Dramatic techniques are used by playwrights to give clues to the audience about what is
happening, or to emphasise a theme, character or a significant event.
Cut out the definitions and the reasons why each dramatic technique is used and put
them into the table.
Dramatic technique
Definition
Reason used
Foreshadowing
Juliet: Methinks I see thee
now, thou art so low,/ As
one dead in the bottom of a
tomb.
Asides
Sampson: [Aside to Gregory]
Is the law of our side if I say
ay?
Stage directions
[Tybalt under Romeo’s arm
thrusts Mercutio in.] Away
Tybalt.
Timing
Enter Prince, Old Montague,
Capulet, their wives and all.
Prince: Where are the vile
beginners of this fray?
Stichomythia
Gregory: Do you quarrel, sir?
Abraham: Quarrel, sir? No,
sir.
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‘Fast speeds’ dramatic techniques
Dramatic technique
Definition
Reason used
Pathetic fallacy
Benvolio: … For now, these
hot days, is the mad blood
stirring.
Exits
Benvolio: Why dost thou
stay?
Exit Romeo
Entrances
Enter Romeo.
Tybalt: Well, peace be with
you sir, here comes my man.
Dramatic irony
Romeo: I…love thee better
than thou canst devise,/ Till
thou shalt know the reason
of my love;
Soliloquy
Juliet: …I have bought the
mansion of a love,/ But not
possessed it, and though I
am sold,/ Not yet enjoyed.
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‘Fast speeds’ dramatic techniques
Definition
Definition
Definition
To indicate or give signs
beforehand of something
that will happen later.
Alternate single lines spoken When a character talks
in turn by two characters.
directly to themselves (and
the audience).
Definition
Definition
Definition
When a character leaves
the stage.
Prompt actors to move and
tell the reader what is
happening on stage.
The pace of the drama, or
appropriate moments when
things happen.
Definition
Definition
Definition
When the audience is aware Giving human emotions or
of something that the
characteristics to inanimate
characters are not.
objects and nature.
When a character arrives on
the stage.
Definition
When a character
temporarily turns away and
speaks directly to the
audience /another
character.
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‘Fast speeds’ dramatic techniques
Reason used
Reason used
Reason used
Used to create contrasts in
a scene or disrupt what we
might expect to happen
next.
To reveal the character’s
thoughts and feelings to the
audience and not the other
characters in the play.
Used to include a character
in a scene.
Reason used
Reason used
Reason used
Used to show an argument
between characters. Can
also be used as a battle of
wits.
To create tension about the
possibility of something
happening and sometimes
to prepare the audience for
a shocking event.
Used to remove a character
from the action.
Reason used
Reason used
Reason used
Used to match the weather
with the mood of the scene.
They create the drama on
the stage and bring the text
alive.
To help understand the
character’s real feelings at
a particular time – often
used for humour or to help
us empathise with them.
Reason used
Inform the audience without
the character knowing,
allowing them to have a
different interpretation of
events than the characters
involved.
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‘Fast speeds’ dramatic techniques
Teacher answer sheet
Dramatic technique
Definition
Reason used
Foreshadowing
Juliet: Methinks I see thee now,
thou art so low,/ As one dead in
the bottom of a tomb.
To indicate or give signs
beforehand of something that
will happen later.
To create tension about the
possibility of something
happening and sometimes to
prepare the audience for a
shocking event.
Asides
Sampson: [Aside to Gregory] Is
the law of our side if I say ay?
When a character temporarily
turns away and speaks directly
to the audience /another
character.
To help understand the
character’s real feelings at a
particular time –often used for
humour or to help us empathise
with them.
Stage directions
[Tybalt under Romeo’s arm
thrusts Mercutio in.] Away
Tybalt.
Prompt actors to move and tell
the reader what is happening
on stage.
They create the drama on the
stage and bring the text alive.
Timing
Enter Prince, Old Montague,
Capulet, their wives and all.
The pace of the drama, or
appropriate moments when
things happen.
Used to create contrasts in a
scene or disrupt what we might
expect to happen next.
Stichomythia
Gregory: Do you quarrel, sir?
Abraham: Quarrel, sir? No, sir.
Alternate single lines spoken in
turn by two characters.
Used to show an argument
between characters. Can also be
used as a battle of wits.
Pathetic fallacy
Benvolio: … For now, these hot
days, is the mad blood stirring.
Giving human emotions or
characteristics to inanimate
objects and nature.
Used to match the weather with
the mood of the scene.
Exits
Benvolio: Why dost thou stay?
Exit Romeo
When a character leaves the
stage.
Used to remove a character
from the action.
Entrances
Enter Romeo.
Tybalt: Well, peace be with you
sir, here comes my man.
When a character arrives on
the stage.
Used to include a character in a
scene.
Dramatic irony
Romeo: I…love thee better than
thou canst devise,/ Till thou
shalt know the reason of my
love;
When the audience is aware of
something that the characters
are not.
Used to inform the audience
without the character knowing,
allowing them to have a
different interpretation of
events than the characters
involved.
Soliloquy
Juliet: …I have bought the
mansion of a love,/ But not
possessed it, and though I am
sold,/ Not yet enjoyed.
When a character talks directly
to themselves (and the
audience).
To reveal the character’s
thoughts and feelings to the
audience and not the other
characters in the play.
Prince: Where are the vile
beginners of this fray?
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