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Difficulty: EasyDramatic Devices and Conventions

Read the dramatic extract below:

[Setting: A banquet hall. CHIEF ADO and OKON stand near the entrance.]

CHIEF ADO: [Whispering to the audience while Okon examines a document] He believes I am guiding him to success, but his ruin is already sealed.
CHIEF ADO: [Turning to Okon with a warm smile] My dear friend, let us toast to our upcoming victory!

In the extract above, Chief Ado's brief remark intended for the audience while another character remains on stage is an example of which dramatic device?

  1. An asideAnswer
  2. B
    A soliloquy
  3. C
    Dramatic irony
  4. D
    A prologue

Answer

An aside is the dramatic convention where a character speaks directly to the audience while other characters on stage are presumed not to hear.
An aside is a theatrical convention in which a character makes a brief comment intended for the audience, which the other characters on stage are understood not to hear. In the extract, Chief Ado speaks directly to the audience while Okon is on stage with him.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stage directions and character interaction in the extract.
Chief Ado speaks to the audience while Okon is physically present on stage.
Identifying who is present on stage distinguishes between different dramatic speech conventions.
2
Evaluate the length and context of the character's speech.
The speech is a short comment hidden from Okon before Chief Ado resumes dialogue with him.
A short comment uttered while other characters are on stage constitutes an aside.

Key Concept

Aside vs Soliloquy in Dramatic Conventions
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Topics

Dramatic Devices and Conventions

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