DONDON’’T save the drama T save the drama for your mama!for your mama!

What you need to know to What you need to know to know about drama….know about drama….

What are writers of plays What are writers of plays called?called?

Dramatists or Dramatists or playwrightsplaywrights

NOT PLAYWRITESNOT PLAYWRITESWhy, you ask? Why, you ask? ““wrightwright”” is a word that is a word that

means means ““worker or worker or builderbuilder””

Thus, one who Thus, one who buildsbuilds plays….plays….

How is it put together?How is it put together?The text of the The text of the play includes:play includes:

– – the words spoken the words spoken by the charactersby the characters

DialoguDialoguee

How is it put together? How is it put together? Cont..Cont..

– – a single a single character, character, usually alone on usually alone on stage, speaksstage, speaks

MonologueMonologue

HowHow’’s it put together? s it put together? Cont..Cont..

– – the playwrightthe playwright’’s instructions s instructions to the actors and directors. to the actors and directors. Set off in italics.Set off in italics.

LUCAS: (after thinking for a moment) Daddy, can you buy me a fish?

DADDY: (looking at Lucas and then ruffling Lucas’s hair) Yes, Lucas, we’ll get a fish. But first you need a haircut.

Stage Stage directionsdirections

How is a play like a short How is a play like a short story or novel?story or novel?

All are driven by the All are driven by the --the chain of --the chain of events that tie the events that tie the story togetherstory together

All feature – the struggles that All feature – the struggles that the characters face. These conflicts may be the characters face. These conflicts may be physical, psychological, social, or all physical, psychological, social, or all three. Conflict is what makes us concerned three. Conflict is what makes us concerned for the character.for the character.

plotplot

conflictconflict

How is a play different How is a play different from the other types of from the other types of

fiction?fiction? ““Most of what we learn Most of what we learn about characters, about characters, relationships, and relationships, and conflict in a drama is conflict in a drama is conveyed through conveyed through language, thus language language, thus language must …fit the time, the must …fit the time, the place, and the place, and the characterscharacters”” (1014) (1014)

DecorumDecorum – the sense of – the sense of appropriateness of the appropriateness of the languagelanguage

Drama VocabularyDrama Vocabulary

A A playwrightplaywright, also known as a , also known as a dramatistdramatist, is a person who , is a person who writes dramatic literature or writes dramatic literature or drama. These works are usually drama. These works are usually written to be performed in written to be performed in front of a live audience by front of a live audience by actors. They may also be closet actors. They may also be closet dramas or literary works dramas or literary works written using dramatic forms written using dramatic forms but not meant for performance. but not meant for performance.

Act – segments of a Act – segments of a performance usually separated performance usually separated by an interval; Act 1, Act 2by an interval; Act 1, Act 2

Scene – structural units into Scene – structural units into which the acts of the play are which the acts of the play are divideddivided

Stage directions – a Stage directions – a playwrightplaywright’’s descriptive or s descriptive or interpretive comments that interpretive comments that provide readers and actors provide readers and actors with information about the with information about the dialogue, setting, and action dialogue, setting, and action of the playof the play

Upstage – the part of the Upstage – the part of the stage furthest away from the stage furthest away from the audience; at or toward the audience; at or toward the back of the stage away from back of the stage away from the frontthe front

Downstage – the part of the Downstage – the part of the stage closest to the audience; stage closest to the audience; the front of the stage toward the front of the stage toward the audiencethe audience

Aside – A line spoken to and Aside – A line spoken to and only heard by the audience in only heard by the audience in the midst of other characters the midst of other characters who do not hear what is said; who do not hear what is said; often used to reveal inner often used to reveal inner feelings to the audience, also feelings to the audience, also for melodramatic and comic for melodramatic and comic effect. Asides are assumed to effect. Asides are assumed to be truthful, like soliloquies.be truthful, like soliloquies.

Monologue – A significant Monologue – A significant portion of text spoken by one portion of text spoken by one character; what makes a character; what makes a ““monologuemonologue”” different than different than ““soliloquysoliloquy”” is that a monologue is that a monologue has an audience in another has an audience in another character or other characters.character or other characters.

Soliloquy – A speech by one Soliloquy – A speech by one character that is delivered character that is delivered alone on stage, intended to alone on stage, intended to deliver the characterdeliver the character ’’s s thoughts to the audience. What thoughts to the audience. What is said during a soliloquy is is said during a soliloquy is assumed to be true, even if assumed to be true, even if only to the characteronly to the character ’’s s emotions. emotions.

IronyIronyDramatic IronyDramatic Irony: The difference : The difference between what the audience knows between what the audience knows and what a character knows and what a character knows

Situational IronySituational Irony: The difference : The difference between what is expected to between what is expected to happen and what actually happenshappen and what actually happens

Verbal IronyVerbal Irony: the difference : the difference between what a character says and between what a character says and what a character meanswhat a character means

AbsurdismAbsurdism-centers on the behavior of -centers on the behavior of absurd (ridiculously unreasonable, absurd (ridiculously unreasonable, unsound, or incongruous) characters, unsound, or incongruous) characters, situations or subjects. Absurdist situations or subjects. Absurdist fiction posits little judgment about fiction posits little judgment about characters or their actions; that characters or their actions; that task is left to the reader. task is left to the reader. Absurdism grew out of the modernist Absurdism grew out of the modernist literature of the late 19th and literature of the late 19th and early 20th century as a direct early 20th century as a direct opposition to the Victorian opposition to the Victorian literature (realism) which was literature (realism) which was prominent just prior to this period. prominent just prior to this period.

RealismRealism in literature refers to in literature refers to the general attempt to depict the general attempt to depict subjects as they are considered subjects as they are considered to exist in third person to exist in third person objective reality, without objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation embellishment or interpretation (because popular in resonse to (because popular in resonse to the athe a

ExpressionismExpressionism was a cultural movement, was a cultural movement, initially in poetry and painting, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the start of originating in Germany at the start of the 20th century (1900’s). Its typical the 20th century (1900’s). Its typical trait is to present the world under an trait is to present the world under an utterly subjective perspective, utterly subjective perspective, violently distorting it to obtain an violently distorting it to obtain an emotional effect and vividly transmit emotional effect and vividly transmit personal moods and ideas. personal moods and ideas. Expressionist artists sought to Expressionist artists sought to express the meaning of "being aliveexpress the meaning of "being alive““ and emotional experience rather than and emotional experience rather than physical reality.physical reality.

A A MusicalMusical is a form of theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. The emotional dialogue and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated entertainment as an integrated whole. Since the early 20th century, whole. Since the early 20th century, musical theatre stage works have musical theatre stage works have generally been called simply, generally been called simply, ""musicalsmusicals". ".

A A rehearsalrehearsal is a preparatory is a preparatory event in music and theatre (and event in music and theatre (and in other contexts) that is in other contexts) that is performed before the official performed before the official public performance, as a form public performance, as a form of practice, and to ensure that of practice, and to ensure that all details of the performance all details of the performance are adequately prepared and are adequately prepared and coordinated for professional coordinated for professional presentation. presentation.

ANALYZING A PLAYANALYZING A PLAY

It is true that analyzing a scene or a play has some similarities to analyzing poetry, short stories, and novels but, as you'll soon see, analyzing plays has some characteristics all of its own. Remember, plays were meant to be performed for an audience, not simply read. Try to see a live or recorded version to bring your play to life before you begin your analysis.

1. Theme:

How has the playwright emphasized the play's theme? Through images? characters? action? and/or direct statements? Where is the theme first introduced? By whom? How does the central action of the play reveal the theme? Does the play's ending reinforce the principle theme? How? Are sub-themes important?

2. Characters

Playwrights often try to convey many of their messages through the way they depict characters. Consider points such as whether the character has a major or minor role in the central action of the play, how other characters react to him/her, what happens to the character throughout the play, what changes does he/she undergo, what his/her fate is, his/her place in society, as well as any strengths or weaknesses. What does a character reveal about him/herself through speech and action? How fully developed is the character? Are we led to like or dislike a character?

3. Actions

Are the actions physical, emotional, or mental? Do they seem forced or do they appear to occur naturally? Are they coincidental or are they the result of much planning and scheming? How many people and which characters are involved in, or suffer from, the actions of the play? What are the results of the action?

4. PlotHow does the plot evolve from act to act and from scene to scene (do not simply retell what happens)? Is suspense used? How effectively? How do conflicts help develop the plot? What is the significance of any subplots? How unified is the plot? Where is the climax? How is the action resolved in the conclusion? Is the play a tragedy, a comedy? How can you tell?

5. Soliloquies/Monologues

At what point in the action do they occur? What do they reveal about the speaker? What is their tone? What is the speaker's mood? Does the speaker talk of taking action or is he/she giving you his/her philosophy of life? Is the speaker's train of thought rational? Treat the soliloquies to the same close reading as you would a poem; for example, consider imagery, symbolism, etc.

6. Conflict

Where do the conflicts lie? Are they between two characters or within a character or between a character and his/her surroundings? How are they developed? How are they resolved? Is the central conflict reinforced by other conflicts – between minor characters or in the setting (a storm, perhaps.)

7. Time

Does the play take place over a short or a long period of time? Does a lot of timeelapse between the scenes or in between the important actions? Are thecharacters preoccupied with time? Is the play set in actual time, where the stagetime is the same as real-life time?

8. Symbolism and Imagery

Playwrights often use symbolism and imagery. Characters are often representations of something else. Actions, objects, and props may also be symbolic. What images are used? How powerful are they? Does the imagery extend through the entire play, an entire scene, or is it only used once? How does the imagery help bring out the theme?

9. Key Lines

Often an entire theme of a play can rest on a single line. Respond to the emotions lying beneath the written lines. They may be vital to the meaning of the play.

10. Setting

Does the setting have a particular significance? Does it add to the mood of the play? Does the setting change and, consequently, the mood or the symbolism involved?