In drama, a stimulus is anything that prompts a response from a character. It can be an event, a piece of dialogue, a movement, or even an object. The playwright use stimuli to create conflict and tension, and to motivate the characters' actions. For example, in the play "Romeo and Juliet," the feud between the two families is a stimulus that leads to the tragic ending. In the play "A Doll's House," Nora's discovery that her husband has forged her signature is a stimulus that leads her to leave him.
Stimuli can also be used to reveal the characters' inner thoughts and feelings. In the play "The Glass Menagerie," Amanda's obsession with her children's success is a stimulus that reveals her own insecurities and fears. In the play "Death of a Salesman," Willy's flashbacks to his past are a stimulus that reveals the root of his failure as a salesman.
Effective use of stimuli is essential to creating a dynamic and engaging drama. By carefully choosing and placing stimuli, the playwright can create a rollercoaster of emotions for the audience, and keep them on the edge of their seats until the very end.