DRAMA

A composition, in prose or poetry, accommodated to action, and intended to exhibit a picture of

human life, or to depict a series of grave or humorous actions of more than ordinary interest,
tending toward some striking result. It is commonly designed to be spoken and represented by
actors on the stage.

A series of real events invested with a dramatic unity and interest.

Dramatic composition and the literature pertaining to or illustrating it; dramatic literature.

Types of Drama:

1. Tragedy -- In general, tragedy involves the ruin of the leading characters. To the Greeks,
it meant the destruction of some noble person through fate, To the Elizabethans, it meant
in the first place death and in the second place the destruction of some noble person
through a flaw in his character. Today it may not involve death so much as a dismal life,
Modern tragedy often shows the tragedy not of the strong and noble but of the weak and
mean,
2. Comedy -- is lighter drama in which the leading characters overcome the difficulties
which temporarily beset them
3. Problem Play -- Drama of social criticism discusses social, economic, or political
problems by means of a play.
4. Farce -- When comedy involves ridiculous or hilarious complications without regard for
human values, it becomes farce.
5. Comedy of Manners -- Comedy which wittily portrays fashionable life.
6. Fantasy -- A play sometimes, but not always, in comic spirit in which the author gives
free reign to his fantasy, allowing things to happen without regard to reality.
7. Melodrama -- Like farce, melodrama pays almost no attention to human values, but its
object is to give a thrill instead of a laugh. Often good entertainment, never any literary
value.

Elements of Drama

1. Thought/Theme/Ideas

What the play means as opposed to what happens (the plot).  Sometimes the theme is clearly
stated in the title.  It may be stated through dialogue by a character acting as the playwright’s
voice. Or it may be the theme is less obvious and emerges only after some study or thought.
The abstract issues and feelings that grow out of the dramatic action.
 
2. Action/Plot

The events of a play; the story as opposed to the theme; what happens rather than what it
means. The plot must have some sort of unity and clarity by setting up a pattern by which
each action initiating the next rather than standing alone without connection to what came
before it or what follows.  In the plot of a play, characters are involved in conflict that has
a pattern of movement. The action and movement in the play begins from the initial
entanglement, through rising action, climax, and falling action to resolution.
 
3. Characters

These are the people presented in the play that are involved in the perusing plot.  Each
character should have their own distinct personality, age, appearance, beliefs, socio
economic background, and language.

4. Language

The word choices made by the playwright and the enunciation of the actors of the
language.  Language and dialog delivered by the characters moves the plot and action
along, provides exposition, defines the distinct characters.  Each playwright can create
their own specific style in relationship to language choices they use in establishing
character and dialogue. 
 
5. Music

Music can encompass the rhythm of dialogue and speeches in a play or can also mean the
aspects of the melody and music compositions as with musical theatre.  Each theatrical
presentation delivers music, rhythm and melody in its own distinctive manner.    Music is
not a part of every play.  But, music can be included to mean all sounds in a production. 
Music can expand to all sound effects, the actor’s voices, songs, and instrumental music
played as underscore in a play.  Music creates patterns and establishes tempo in theatre. 
In the aspects of the musical the songs are used to push the plot forward and move the
story to a higher level of intensity.  Composers and lyricist work together with
playwrights to strengthen the themes and ideas of the play.  Character’s wants and desires
can be strengthened for the audience through lyrics and music.
 
6. Spectacle

The spectacle in the theatre can involve all of the aspects of scenery, costumes, and
special effects in a production.  The visual elements of the play created for theatrical
event.  The qualities determined by the playwright that create the world and atmosphere
of the play for the audience’s eye. 
 
1. Allusion - an indirect reference by casually mentioning something that is generally familiar (In
literature we find many allusions to mythology, the Bible, history, etc.)

2. Aside - Lines whispered to the audience or to another character on stage (not meant to be heard by all
the characters on stage)

3. Catastrophe - the final event in a drama (a death in a tragedy or a marriage in a comedy)

4. Comedy - A light play with a happy ending

5. Comic Relief - A bit of humor injected into a serious play to relieve the heavy tension of tragic events

6. Crisis or Climax - the turning point in the plot (This occurs when events develop either for or against
the main character and a crucial decision must be made.)

7. Dramatic Irony - occurs when the audience knows something that the character on stage is not aware.

8. Foreshadow - Lines that give a hint or clue to future events (It doesn't tell the future but hints at it.)

9. Irony -

 A method of expression in which the ordinary meaning of the word is opposite to the thought in
the speaker's mind
 Events contrary to what would be naturally expected

10. Metaphor - an implied comparison between two different things; identifying a person or object as the
thing to which it is being compared. 
Example: 'It is the East and Juliet is the sun.' - 'tossed on the sea of life'

11. Metonymy - a figure of speech whereby the name of a thing is substituted for the attribute which it
suggests. Example: The pen (power of literature or the written word) is mightier than the sword (force).

12. Nemesis - agent of retribution (the person who punishes)

13. Personification - giving the quality of life to inanimate things

14. Poetic Justice - The operation of justice in a play with fair distribution of rewards for good deeds and
punishment for wrong doing

15. Simile - an expressed comparison between two different things using 'like' or 'as' - Example: 'eyes
twinkle like stars' - 'as loud as the roaring sea'

16. Soliloquy - A single character on stage thinking out loud (a way of letting the audience know what is
in the character's mind)

17. Tragedy - A serious play having an unhappy ending

18. Tragic Flaw - A character trait that leads one to his/her own downfall or destruction