drama lecture

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DRAMA

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DRAMA

- a literary work written to beperformed onstage intendedto create an illusion of reality.

-

derived from theGreek 

word“dran” which means“to do, to act, or to perform.”

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Greek Drama

- are part of religious and agricultural festivals

- used to thank and praise gods for thebountiful harvests.

- a group of women called Maenads engaged

in a ritual that involved intoxication, frenzieddancing, and feeding on animal and evenhuman flesh.

-costumes used were only boots and masks.

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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 – god of fertility and

procreation The Cult of Dionysus, which probably originatedin Asia Minor, practiced ritual celebrations whichmay have included alcoholic intoxication, orgies,human and animal sacrifices, and perhaps evenhysterical rampages by women called Maenads.

The cult's most controversial practice involved,it is believed, uninhibited dancing and emotionaldisplays that created an altered mental state.This altered state was known as 'ecstasis', fromwhich the word ecstasy is derived. Dionysiac,hysteria and 'catharsis' also derive from Greekwords for emotional release or purification.Ecstasy was an important religious concept tothe Greeks, who would come to see theatre asa way of releasing powerful emotions through itsritual power.

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Roman Drama

- borrowed elements of Greek drama andcombined them with its own.

- made use of the raised stage, curtains,spectacles of chariot races, and morevigorous kind of acting.

- dealt with romance plots (how love maytriumph over evil and ultimately, death)

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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Roman Theater 

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Medieval Drama

- formation of troupes – a band of actors

- the Church was responsible for theflourishing of the major trends in theater.

- Pagan elements was being reconciled with

Christian doctrines.

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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Troupes

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Renaissance Drama

- was first felt in Italy during the 15th century.

- the popularity of the new type of comedy,commedia dell’arte, became a big hit amongeducated and uneducated people.

- the Theater was built in London in 1586 topave way for professional, non-religious playperformances.

-traces of medieval drama remained.

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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London Theater - 1586

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Elizabethan Drama

- traditional forms of drama acquired bolder and more realistic qualities.

- drew its popular appeal from crowds thatcame from all walks of life.

- although Shakespeare was considered themajor figure or representative of Elizabethandrama, Ben Jonson was the more popular.

-Jonson successfully drew an excellenticture of Elizabethan En land.

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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Elizabethan Drama Figures

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18th Century Drama

- emphasis was on scenery and elaboratespectacle rather than on dialog.

- the movable panel was introduced, scenesshift more easily from one to another.

- appearance of women onstage, allowingthem to play women roles, lending morecharacter and normalcy to the English play.

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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Movable Panel

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19th Century Drama

- introduction of gas gave lighting effects to thestage, allowing to manipulate the mood of every scene.

- Realism dominated the theater scene andculminated the “thesis play”.

- the dramatic form was credited to the French.

- the melodrama was born – a play relied on

violent emotional appeal and sentimentality.

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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20th Century Drama

- theater of England and America became apolitical instrument for intellectuals andcommon people alike

- introduction of Vaudeville – a play featuringsongs, dances, magicians, and animal acts,

catering the male audience.

- talking pictures or filmed movies appearedafter 1930’s

HISTORY OF DRAMA

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Vaudeville

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ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

1. Dialog – help advance the action of the play.

2. Characters – protagonist andantagonist.

3. Plot – similar to short stories

4. Theme – universal truth about life.

5. Setting – time and plays.