Lesson 2 - Identify Genre Characteristics of Plays and "Fiddler on the Roof"

10) Read the character list and Act I, "Prologue" of Fiddler on the Roof. What is the first stage direction?

"The exterior of Tevye's house. The fiddler is seated on the roof, playing. Tevye is outside the house."

Vocabulary

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13) Match the Hebrew translations of the names and phrases from Fiddler on the Roof. You will need to do research on the internet to help you with the answers. A) "goodness of God" B) "princess" C) "life" D) "hope" E) "white" F) from Elazar or Eleazar, "God has helped" G) "exulted father" H) "comforter" I) "to life" or "alive" J) "good luck" or "good fortune"

A) Tevye B) Tzeitel C) Chava D) Shprintze E) Bielke F) Lazar G) Avram H) Nachum I) l' chaim (phrase) J) Mazel Tov (phrase)

5) Match the words with the descriptions. A) written as a script for theater, radio, or television B) instructions in a script regarding activities on C) characters depict exaggerated emotions; may have music and songs D) has a lighthearted tone throughout and ends in success for the hero or heroes; includes musicals; farces—improbable situations; and satire—ridicule to make fun of human E) story of horrific events concerning a hero or antihero; usually ends sadly, but releases the increasing tension of the unfolding events at the F) long speech by one actor in a G) mixes both elements of tragedy and comedy; may either have a sad or happy H) may be an opera or play where the music is integral to the plot; may include dancing

A) drama B) stage directions C) melodrama D) comedy E) tragedy F) monologue G) tragicomedy H) musical drama

2) Scan the text of Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein to answer the question. How is it written differently from a novel?

It is divided into Prologues and Scenes.

9) Read the character list and Act I, "Prologue" of Fiddler on the Roof. How would a live audience know the setting of the play?

Tevye introduces the play and tells the name of the town. The audience could infer the ethnicity of the characters by their names and clothing; also, the historical time by the clothing and the items on the stage.

11) Read the character list and Act I, "Prologue" of Fiddler on the Roof. Who is speaking in the first part of the play? What is this type of speech called?

Tevye is giving a monologue to the audience.

12) Read the character list and Act I, "Prologue" of Fiddler on the Roof. What does Tevye say holds his culture together, and how does he define it? How do you think that this idea will help to move the actions of the plot?

Tevye says that tradition is the anchor that keeps the balance in the lives of the people because they know who they are and what God expects them to do. The plot will have something to do with the balancing of tradition in Anatevka.

1) Scan the text of Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein to answer the question. What kind of genre is this text? How can you tell?

The genre is a drama or musical play. It has character speaking parts and songs.

4) Scan the text of Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein to answer the question. By looking at the list of characters, what do you think the play is about? Why do you think it will be about this?

The play is about a dairyman and his wife and daughters. It will probably be about family matters. The names are not American, so there may be cultural differences.

3) Scan the text of Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein to answer the question. What is the text's purpose?

The purpose of the text is to be acted out and to entertain.

8) Read the character list and Act I, "Prologue" of Fiddler on the Roof. What is the setting of the play?

The setting is Anatevka - a village in Russia, 1905, on the eve of the revolutionary period.

Monologue

a long speech by one actor in a play

6) Which part of the stage is closest to the audience?

downcenter

Stage Directions

instructions in a script regarding activities on stage

7) Which part of the stage is farthest from the audience?

left upstage

Hebrew

the Semitic language of the Hebrews (Jews) who originated from Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, as recorded in ancient religious texts