Module: Literary Text Drama: Definition and Characteristics

Teacher: Mr Sedrati Yasser

Level: 2nd Year

Drama is intended to replicate human behavior and action in the midst of tragedy and everyday life. A number of
genres exist within drama, each with their own storytelling methods, character types and dramatic approach. There are
four main genres of drama: the tragedy, comedy, melodrama and tragicomedy. Understanding the characteristics of
these genres generates a basic understanding of the influences and types of theatre being created today.
Drama is a distinctive fictitious form because they are intended to be performed out on a stage before an audience. The
word ‘drama’ comes from the Greek word ‘dran’ meaning to act or to do. Drama brings a story to life before our eyes,
the story of a play or drama is told through dialogue and action and is combined with the setting that the audience
perceives essentially from scenery and props. Knowing about these elements can help you increase in value and
converse plays that are seen and read.
It is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance. It is one of the literary genres, which is an
imitation of some action. Drama is also a type of a play written for theater, television, radio, and film.
In simple words, a drama is a composition in verse or prose presenting a story in pantomime or dialogue. It contains
conflict of characters, particularly the ones who perform in front of audience on the stage. The person who writes
drama for stage directions is known as a “dramatist” or “playwright.”
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* Characteristics: Drama reflects human behavior in the form of a story through acting and dance. It is interwoven
with other elements, like music, dance, instruments, microphones, and lights, to make it more appealing to the
audience. Theater and drama are collective terms, and the basic component of the play is a story based on fictional
events and characters.
Each type of drama has its peculiar characteristics, but we shall consider those that are common to them all.
1- Playwright: is the author or writer of a drama text or play. For example William Shakespeare is the playwright of
“The Twelfth Night".
2- Characters: These are the persons, animals, other creatures or things that the playwright has created to act out the
play or drama. There are usually two types of characters: the flat and round.
a. Flat characters: are static characters who do not change from the beginning to the end of the play.
b. Round characters: in contrast to the flat characters, are dynamic and they grow and develop with the play.
Everything about them is revealed in the play. They are usually the main characters of the play.
3- Protagonists: These are the leading characters in a play. They are the most important. The entire action of the play
centers around them. They are the heroes or heroines of the play. If the play has a happy ending, the protagonists are
comic characters. If the play has a sad ending, the protagonists are tragic characters.
4- Antagonists: These are the characters whose main aim is to contend with the protagonists. They work against the
interest of the protagonists. In most cases, they lead to the downfall of the protagonists, if the play is tragic, or to the
happy ending if the play is comical.
5- Conflict: This is another characteristic of the drama. It is usually a struggle for supremacy between the protagonists
and antagonists of the play. The conflict is usually resolved. This is called conflict resolution or denouement.
6- Cast of Characters: each character, both major and minor, is listed alongside a brief description of the character’s
role in the story.

* Types of Drama
Comedy: – Comedies are lighter in tone than ordinary works, and provide a happy conclusion. The intention of
dramatists in comedies is to make their audience laugh. An example of a comedy would be William Shakespeare's
play “A Midsummer Night's Dream”.
Tragedy: – Tragic dramas use darker themes, such as disaster, pain, and death. Protagonists often have a tragic flaw —
a characteristic that leads them to their downfall. Some examples of tragedies include William Shakespeare's
“Hamlet”, and also John Webster's play The Duchess of Malfi.
Tragicomedy: - The tragicomedy attempts to portray characters and life in the most realistic way. Action, characters
and plot are not absolute, but nonjudgmental. A character changes his mind and acts out of character, and the plot ends
unpredictably. Tragicomedies are meant to show complex dynamics of human relationships and that society is in a
constantly changing flux. As the name suggests, these plays present a thorough mix of tragedy and comedy.
Historical: - These plays focus on actual historical events. They can be tragedies or comedies, but are often neither of these.
History as a separate genre was popularized by William Shakespeare. Examples of historical plays include Friedrich Schiller's
“Demetrius” and William Shakespeare's “King John”

Farce: – Generally, a farce is a nonsensical genre of drama, which often overacts or engages slapstick humor. An
example of a farce includes William Shakespeare's play “The Comedy of Errors”, or Mark Twain's play “Is He Dead?
Musical Drama: – In musical dramas, dramatists not only tell their stories through acting and dialogue, but through
dance as well as music. Often the story may be comedic, though it may also involve serious subjects.
Fantasy: Is a fictional work where characters virtually display supernatural skills. It is more appealing to children as
fairies, superheroes, etc., are embedded in the plot. Use of magic, pseudo-science, horror, and spooky themes through
various kinds of technical devices create a perfect world of fantasy. The modern version of drama incorporates a great
deal of special effects.
Melodrama: the tragedy or problem is caused by external forces outside of the protagonist's control. It sets itself apart
from tragedy because the protagonist does not take responsibility for the action, nor does she feel guilty. In fact, the
protagonist is often the victim of circumstance. The melodrama has clearly distinguished good and evil characters.
These plays end with a strict moral judgment that rewards the good and punishes evil in a fitting way
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Examples of Drama in Literature: “Much Ado About Nothing” –Comedy- (By William Shakespeare), “The Importance of
Being Earnest”-Farce- (By Oscar Wilde), “The Heiress” (By Henry James),

Drama/ Play is divided into scenes and Acts. A scene is the performable parts into which a drama piece is divided.
Scenes are under an act and they represent a complete episode or event to be dramatized. Most of the Shakespearean
plays are presented in scenes. Indeed, a scene is a sequence of continuous action in a play. A play is made up of acts,
and acts are made up of scenes. A plot is the central plan or an outline of events in a play. The plot usually runs from
the beginning of the play to the end. A prologue suggests an introductory scene to the play or an address or speech
made before the commencement of a dramatic performance. Many of the Shakespearean plays start with prologues.
An epilogue is the direct opposite of a prologue. A short scene is tagged to a play at the end, like an appendage or final
address or a final speech at the close of dramatic performance. An example is found in many of the Shakespearean
plays.
When we read a certain play we may find dialogues in vertical alignments, in some of these dialogues we can see
notes which are often in italics or parentheses; these help the actor to interpret the scene for the audience.
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For further readings: check: Glossary of Drama Terms.
A Student’s Guide to Some Major Plays by Kian Pishkar and Pyeaam Abbasi.

References:
"Play": Dictionary.com website. Retrieved on November 3, 2017./ ^ Jump up to: a b "THE ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA & THEATRE HISTORY
PAGE". Anarchon.tripod.com. Retrieved 2017-11-16. / "Origin of Comedy". Www.theatrehistory.com. Retrieved 2017-11-16. /
https://ourpastimes.com/characteristics-of-drama-genres-12547934.html / An Introduction to Literature by SYLVAN BARNET (Tufts University)
WILLIAM BURTO (University of Massachusetts at Lowell) WILLIAM E. CAIN (Wellesley College) / An Introduction to Literature and Literary
Criticism (National Open University of Nigeria).