Reviewer in English 7 ∞ A drama, or a play, is a piece of writing that is presented almost exclusively through dialogue. ∞ Like a short story or novel, it has a setting, characters, plot and even symbolism. ∞ However, the way in which they are presented to the audience is different, because unlike a short story or novel, the play is meant to be performed in front of an audience, not read. ∞ It is a presentation of action a. through actors on a stage , and before an audience . ∞ Of the four major points of view, the dramatist is limited to only one - the objective or dramatic. ∞ The playwright cannot directly comment on the action or the character and cannot directly enter the minds of characters and tell us what is going on there. ∞ The playwright cannot directly comment on the action or the character and cannot directly enter the minds of characters and tell us what is going on there. But there are ways to get around this limitation through the use of : ∞ The first dramas to be written for the express purpose of being performed were created by the Greeks. Many of our modern drama terms derive from Greek origins. Dramatic Form ∞ Plays are not written in paragraphs like a novel or short story. Instead, they are written as lines of dialogue in the form of a script. Setting And Staging ∞ In addition to the dialogue, a script will also include stage directions. These notes, which are often in italics or parentheses, help the actors interpret the scene for the audience. Script ∞ the written text of a play. Usually includes a list of characters that appear in the play with a brief description of what the character is like (Dramatis Personae), brief descriptions of the sets or setting, and the lines the characters will speak. Dialogue ∞ the lines spoken by the actors; in the script, preceded by the name of the character that is to speak the words Chorus ∞ a character or group in a drama who speaks the prologue and epilogue and comments on the action Monologue ∞ A speech given by a single character while that character is alone on stage; also called a soliloquy. Act ∞ A major section of a play, similar to a chapter in a book; an act is usually made up of several scenes. Scene ∞ a subdivision of an act; usually, a scene indicates a specific location or time, and changes if another location or time is supposed to be presented. A scene usually ends when all the characters in the scene leave the stage. Elements of Drama ∞ Plot The plot structure of the play doesnt really differ from that in prose. There is an exposition, a rising action, a climax, falling action and the resolution. ∞ Characters And Actors Before the dialogue in a script, the playwright will often include a cast of characters. Typically, each character, both major and minor, is listed alongside a brief description of the characters role in the story. ∞ Theme While plot refers to the action of the play, theme refers to the meaning of the play. Theme is the main idea or lesson to be learned from the play. In some cases, the theme of a play is obvious; other times it is quite subtle. ∞ Characters Characters are the people (sometimes animals or ideas) portrayed by the actors in the play. It is the characters who move the action, or plot, of the play forward. ∞ Music/Rhythm While music is often featured in drama, in this case Aristotle was referring to the rhythm of the actors voices as they speak. ∞ Dialogue This refers to the words written by the playwright and spoken by the characters in the play. The dialogue helps move the action of the play along. ∞ Spectacle This refers to the visual elements of a play: sets, costumes, special effects, etc. Spectacle is everything that the audience sees as they watch the play. ∞ Convention These are the techniques and methods used by the playwright and director to create the desired stylistic effect. ∞ Genre Genre refers to the type of play. Some examples of different genres include, comedy, tragedy, mystery and historical play. ∞ Audience This is the group of people who watch the play. Many playwrights and actors consider the audience to be the most important element of drama, as all of the effort put in to writing and producing a play is for the enjoyment of the audience. Types of Drama Comedy In the Greek sense, a play that doesn’t end in death. In modern usage, refers to a play that is humorous. Tragedy In the Greek sense, a play that ends with the death of at least one of the main characters. In modern usage, refers to a play that doesn’t have a happy ending. ∞ Prepared by: Ms. Franz Hernal
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 11:16:16 +0000
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