drama intro

7/29/2019 Drama Intro.

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Introduction to Drama


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What is Drama?

Drama is a type of literature that isprimarily written to be performed for anaudience. When reading a play, it is

important to keep certain features ofdrama in mind. Some of these featuresrelate to drama as literature; others reflect

its character as a performance.


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History

Greek Drama 500-400 B.C.

Medieval: The Middle Ages 1200-1500 AD

Elizabethan & Jacobean 1500-1642 Restoration & 18th Cent. Drama 1660-1800

Romantic Era 1800-1880

Modern Era 1850-Present


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Types of Drama- Tragedy

Tragedy: A play in which themain character experiencesdisaster, but faces this downfallin such a way as to attain

heroic stature.* Even though Tragedies are

gloomy they are triumphant,because they inspire exaltation

at the greatness human beingscan attain even in defeat.


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Comedy

Comedy closes with apeaceful resolution of themain conflict.*High Comedy: The humor

arises from subtlecharacterization, socialsatire, and sophisticated wit.

Low Comedy: Emphasizes

absurd dialogue, bawdyjokes, visual gags, andphysical humor.*


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Types of Comedy

Romantic Comedy: The main charactersare lovers, and the plot tends to follow thepattern of boy gets girl, boy loses girl,

boy gets girl again. Satiric Comedy: Uses humor to ridicule

foolish ideas or customs with the purposeof improving society. Comedy of Manners: Satirizes the vices and

follies of the upper class.*


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Additional Forms of Drama

Farce: Relies on exaggeration, absurdity,and slapstick

Straight Drama or Drama: Deal withserious subjects, but do not always end indisaster.


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Elements of Drama

External Conflict: Pits a character against natureor fate, society, or another character

Internal conflict: Between opposing forces

within a character. Protagonist: The central character of the play

and often undergoes radical changes as theaction progresses.*

Antagonist: The character who opposes themain character*


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Foil: A minor character whose traitscontrast sharply with those of the

protagonist Dialogue: Conversations between

characters

Monologue: A long speech spoken by asingle character to himself or herself, or tothe audience

Soliloquy: A monologue in which acharacter speaks his or her privatethoughts aloud and appears to beunaware of the audience.


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Aside: a short speech or commentdelivered by a character to the audience,

but unheard by the other characters whoare present.


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Conventions of Drama

Cast of Characters: listed in the beginningof the play, before the action starts.

Act: a major division of a play

Scenes: Major division of an act

Stage Directions: a dramatists

instructions for performing a play.


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Protagonist


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Antagonist


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