DRAMA
Wesleyan Academy 10th Grade English
Contents 1.
What is Drama?
2.
Kinds of Drama
3.
Elements of Drama
4.
Forms of Drama
DRAMA Drama is a composition in prose form that presents a story entirely told in dialogue and action and written with the intention of its eventual performance before an audience.
Origins of Drama The word drama comes from the Greek verb dran, which means “to do.” The earliest known plays… were written around the fifth century B.C. produced for festivals to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility
DRAMA 
It is a prose or verse composition, especially one telling a serious story that was intended for representation by actors impersonating the characters and performing the dialogue and action and a serious narrative work or program for television, radio, or the cinema.
DRAMA Drama has a two-fold nature: LITERATURE and THEATRE.
Kinds of Drama 1.
Comedy
2.
Tragic
3.
Tragicomedy
Comedy
A universal form of expression and a major dramatic genre that is intended to amuse.
Often associated with humorous behavior, wordplay, pleasurable feeling, release of tension, and laughter. Imbued with a playful spirit, comic entertainment frequently exposes incongruous, ridiculous, or grotesque aspects of human nature.
It generally follows a fixed pattern of theatrical surprises that leads to a sense of exhilaration in the spectator. Of all dramatic genres, comedy is the most widely performed.
Tragic
Dramatic genre that presents the heroic or moral struggle of an individual, culminating in his or her ultimate defeat, tragic plays appear chiefly in societies that maintain a fixed hierarchy of political and religious beliefs.
Only when spectators share with the playwright a particular social vision and system of class-based values can they empathize with the fall of the protagonist (central character) from an elevated position into bleak despair or annihilation.
Tragicomedy 
Drama that contains elements of tragedy and comedy. One example of tragicomedies is English playwright William Shakespeare's socalled reconciliation plays, such as The Winter's Tale (1610), which reach a tragic climax but then lighten to a happy conclusion.

A tragicomedy is the usual form for plays in the tradition of the theater of the absurd.
TYPES OF DRAMA 1.
Comedy
2.
Tragedy
3.
Farce
4.
Melodrama
5.
Musical
Comedy 
Refer to plays that are light in tone, and that typically have happy endings. The intent of a comedic play is to make the audience laugh.

In modern theater, there are many different styles of comedy, ranging from realistic stories, where the humor is derived from real-life situations, to outrageous slapstick humor.
Tragedy 
Tragedy is one of the oldest forms of drama;

Tragedy usually involves serious subject matter and the death of one or more main characters. These plays rarely have a happy ending.
Farce
Farce is a sub-category of comedy, characterized by greatly exaggerated characters and situations.
Characters tend to be one-dimensional and often follow stereotypical behavior.
Farces typically involve mistaken identities, lots of physical comedy and outrageous plot twists.
Melodrama 
Melodrama is another type of exaggerated drama. As in farce, the characters tend to be simplified and one-dimensional.

The formulaic storyline of the classic melodrama typically involves a villain a heroine, and a hero who must rescue the heroine from the villain.
Musical 
In musical theater, the story is told not only through dialogue and acting but through music and dance. Musicals are often comedic, although many do involve serious subject matter. Most involve a large cast and lavish sets and costumes.

As a student of drama it is important to be able recognize these different types of drama. Be aware that in modern theater, the lines between these types of drama are often quite blurred, with elements of comedy, drama and tragedy residing in the same play.
Forms of Drama 1.
Opera
2.
Pantomime
Opera
Opera is a dramatic art form, which arose during the Renaissance.
Drama in which the text is set to music and staged.
The texts of operas are sung, with singing and stage action nearly always given instrumental accompaniment.
Pantomime 
Is an art of dramatic representation by means of facial expressions and body movements rather than words. Pantomime, or mime, has always played a part in theater.

Pantomime, or dumb show, was essential to commedia dell'arte, an improvised comedy that arose in 16th-century Italy and spread throughout Europe.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA ue t og li c ol nf on Co M
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DRAMA
DRAMA
There are three types of Drama Elements. Literary Technical Performance or Visual
All the elements of drama combine to make a good production. They are all important. Some demonstrate more of one element than others.
Literary Elements (What is needed to write a script or story?)
Script
Setting
Plot
Conflict
Character
Theme
POV
Dialogue
Monologue /soliloquy/aside
Literary Elements Script
A script is the written words and directions of a play.
Style?
Style refers to the mode of expression or presentation of the play which points out the playwright’s position or viewpoint in life.
Script and Style: Major Dramatic Attitude Realism 
Realism is an accurate detailed, and life-like description in a play where things are presented as real as can be set in actual life, with dialogues sounding like day-to-day conversation.
Non-realism
Non-realism is method of presentation identified as something stylized or theatricalzed whereby artist uses his feral imagination in projecting his ideas.

SETTING
Setting identifies the time and place in which the events occur.
It consists of the historical period, the moment, day and season in which the incidents take place.
It also includes the sceneries in the performance which are usually found in the preliminary descriptions.
PLOT 
Plot lays out the series of events that form the entirety of the play. It serves as a structural framework which brings the events to a cohesive form and sense.

The plot is usually structured with acts and scenes.
Types of Plot Natural Plot
Natural Plot is a chronological sequence of events arrangement where actions continuously take place as an end result of the previous action
Episodic Plot
Episodic Plot – each episode independently comprises a setting, climax, and resolution; therefore, a full story in itself is formed.
Dramatic Structure Like the plot of a story, the plot of a play involves characters who face a problem or conflict. Climax or Turning Point
Rising Action
Exciting (or Inciting) Force
Exposition
Falling Action
Moment of Final Suspense
Catastrophe Denouement
Literary Elements: PLOT
Exposition: The general atmosphere, time, place, main characters, opening conditions of the play.
Inciting: Something happens that starts the action of the play moving, usually in the first act.
Rising Action: This is a series of actions usually covering more than an act. During this, the hero of the play (protagonist) is the active force, making things work out as he or she intended.
Literary Elements: PLOT 
Climax: The protagonist reaches the peak of his or her power, and a distinct change occurs in him as well as in the direction of the action. Things begin to go against the protagonist, who seems to be following a downward path. This usually takes place in Act III or Act V.

Falling Action: This also covers several scenes and shows all the ways the main events are going against the protagonist. At this time, the antagonist begins to rise in power. The conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist becomes the essence of the play.
Literary Elements: PLOT 
Moment of Final Suspense: Usually found in the fifth act of the play, the moment of final suspense has a particular function in the organization of the plot. Close to the end of the play, it is more significant to the protagonist that it is to the audience. It is the moment when things begin to look as if they will go the way of the protagonist again. He momentarily believes the tragedy is averted.

Catastrophe: This is the complete downfall of the protagonist, either through death or some other devastating circumstance. If the protagonist is a villain, then the catastrophe will be seen by the audience as a good thing.
Literary Elements: PLOT ď‚Ą
Denouement: The final explanation or outcome of the plot
ď‚Ą
The afterword of any literary drama. Tells you the final outcome of any character(s).
Literary Elements Conflict
The internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that create dramatic tension.
The struggle that develops man vs. man man vs. himself man vs. society man vs. nature
CHARACTERS
PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONIST
Protagonist - the main character in a drama or other literary work.
Antagonist - principal rival in the conflict set forth in the play. represent a major threat or obstacle to the main character by their very existence, without necessarily deliberately targeting him or her. A person who is opposed to, struggle against, or competes with another; opponent; adversary.
Character Aspects Psychological
Moral
Moral discloses the decisions of the characters, either socially acceptable or not, exposing their intentions, thus projecting what is upright or not. 

Psychological discloses the inner mechanism of the mind of the character as exemplified by his habitual responses, attitudes, longings, purposes, likes and dislikes. It is considered as the most indispensable level of character categorization because routines and emotions, thoughts, attitude and behavior enable the readers to know the character intrinsically.
CHARACTERS The protagonist of most classical tragedies is a tragic hero. This hero:
An essential good person who, through some weakness of character or error in judgment, brings doom upon himself. Admirable and noble in defeat than he was before; must gain stature through the way he meets catastrophe.
Must discover the truth of his wrong choice and accept responsibility.
Moves the audience to pity.
pride rebelliousness
jealousy
Dramatic Foil

A character who provides a strong contrast to another character.
Function of Dramatic Foil Characters

A foil may emphasize another character’s distinctive traits or make a character look better by comparison.
Round Characters 
Characters who have many personality traits, like real people.
Flat Characters  One-dimensional,
only a single trait
embodying
 Shakespeare often uses them to
provide comic relief even in a tragedy
Static Characters 
Characters within a story who remain the same. They do not change. They do not change their minds, opinions or character.
Dynamic Characters 
Characters that change somehow during the course of the plot. They generally change for the better.
THEME 
Theme is considered as the unifying element that defines the dramatized idea of the play.

It is the over-all sense or implication of the action. It defines the problem, emphasizes the ethical judgment and suggest attitude or course of action that eliminates the crisis is an acceptable way.
Point of View A. Omniscient – a story told by the author, using the third person; her/his knowledge, control, and prerogatives are unlimited; authorial subjectivity.
Point of View B. Limited Omniscient – a
story in which the author associates with a major or minor character; this character serves as the author’s spokesperson or mouthpiece.
Point of View C. First Person – the author identifies with or disappears in a major or minor character; the story is told using the first person “I”.
Point of View D. Objective or Dramatic – the opposite of the omniscient; displays authorial objectivity; compared a roving sound camera. Very little of the past or the future is given; the story is set in the present
Dialogue Dialogue
provides the substance of a play. Each word uttered by the character furthers the business of the play, contributes to its effect as a whole. a sense of DECORUM must be established by the characters, ie., what is said is appropriate to the role and situation of a character.
Therefore,
Monologue 
One person speaking on stage maybe other character on stage too  Ex > the Prince of Verona
commanding the Capulets and Montagues to cease feuding
Soliloquy
Long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage. Ex: Hamlet’s “to be or not to be”
Aside 
Words spoken, usually in an undertone not intended to be heard by all characters
Pun 
Shakespeare loved to use them!!!  Humorous use of a word with
two meanings > sometimes missed by the reader because of Elizabethan language and sexual innuendo
Dramatic Irony 
A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader/audience knows to be true
Verbal Irony 
Words used to suggest the opposite of what is meant
Situational Irony 
An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience
Comic Relief
Use of comedy within literature that is NOT comedy, to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness.
In R & J, look for moments of comic relief that help “relieve” the tragedy of the situation
Technical Elements (What
is needed to produce a play?)
Scenery
Costumes
Props
Sound and Music
Make-up
Stage 
It is the most important element and without it the drama is never performed.

It is the name of place where on the drama is acted.
Technical Elements Scenery: 
The scenery is theatrical equipment such as curtains, backdrops, and platforms to communicate the environment. An example might be trees to show a forest environment.
Technical Elements Props: 
Props are any article other than costumes or scenery used as part of a dramatic production. An example might be a table on the stage.
Technical Elements Sound and Music: 
Sound is the effect an audience hears during a show, like the sound of rain. And music – well, you know what music is!
Technical Elements
Make-up: 
Make-up is the use of costumes, wigs and body paint to transform an actor into a character.
Performance Elements
(What do the actors do on stage to make a character come alive?)
Acting
Speaking
Non-verbal Expression
Performance Elements
While the dialog and music constitute the audible aspect of drama, the visual element deals with the scenes, costumes and special effects used in it.
The visual element of drama, also known as the spectacle, renders a visual appeal to it. The costumes worn by the artists must suit the characters they are playing. Besides, it is important for the scenes to be dramatic enough to hold the audiences to their seats. The special effects used in a play add to the visual appeal. Thus, the spectacle forms an essential component of drama.
The use of symbols implies the use of indirect suggestions in a drama. Logically used symbols help in making a scene more effective. The use of contrast is about using stillness followed by activity or silence followed by noise.
It can also mean the use of contrasting colors to add to the visual appeal. It can mean the clever use of contrasting scenes following each other that enhance the dramatic element of a play.
Performance Elements Acting: 
Acting is how speaking and moving help to create characters.
Performance Elements Non-Verbal Expression: 
Non-expression includes gestures, facial expressions, and movement.
Performance Elements
Speaking: 
Speaking is vocal expression, projection, speaking style and diction.
HOW TO READ A PLAY 1.
Look for the conflict.
2.
Discover details and clues that are important.
3.
Watch for any evidence that reveals a change in the main character.
4.
Try to determine the theme.
HOW TO READ A PLAY 5. Look for the conflict. 6. Discover details and clues that are important. 7. Watch for any evidence that reveals a change in the main character. 8. Try to determine the theme.
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