Dramatis personae in a play refers to

1. Analyze the question The question asks what the Latin phrase dramatis personae means when used in a play.

2. Explain the concept Dramatis personae is Latin for "persons of the drama" (the characters of the play). In a printed play text, it is the list of characters that appears at the beginning, often with short descriptions of who they are (e.g., "Okonkwo, a great warrior of Umuofia").

3. Work through the options

• A. Cast list: A cast list names the actors playing the roles in a particular production. It is closely related, but it is about performers, not the characters themselves.
• B. List of characters: This is the direct meaning. Dramatis personae is the list of characters in the play.
• C. Protagonist and antagonist: These are only two types of characters (the main character and the opposing force), not the whole list. (Note the spelling: "protagonist", not "portagonist".)
• D. Order of appearance: Characters are sometimes listed this way, but that is not what the term means.

4. Answer The best answer is **B.

5. Exam tip Break the term into its parts: dramatis = "of the drama" and personae = "persons/characters". Remember that cast list = actors, while dramatis personae = characters. JAMB often tests such close pairs, so look at who is being listed: the actors or the characters.