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DEFINITION OF DRAMA

Drama 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.”

TYPES OF DRAMA

Let us consider a few popular 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. Hence, they use quaint circumstances, unusual characters, and witty remarks.
 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.
 Farce – Generally, a farce is a nonsensical genre of drama, which often overacts or
engages slapstick humor.
 Melodrama – Melodrama is an exaggerated drama, which is sensational and appeals
directly to the senses of the audience. Just like the farce, the characters are of a single
dimension and simple, or may be stereotyped.
  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.

EXAMPLES OF DRAMA IN LITERATURE

Example #1: Much Ado About Nothing (By William Shakespeare)

Much Ado About Nothing is the most frequently performed Shakespearian comedy in
modern times. The play is romantically funny, in that love between Hero and Claudio is laughable,
as they never even get a single chance to communicate on-stage until they get married.

Their relationship lacks development and depth. They end up merely as caricatures,
exemplifying what people face in life when their relationships are internally weak. Love between
Benedick and Beatrice is amusing, as initially their communications are very sparky, and they hate
each other. However, they all of sudden make up, and start loving each other.

Example #2: Oedipus Rex (By Sophocles)

Tragedy:

Sophocles’ mythical and immortal drama Oedipus Rex is thought to be his best classical tragedy.
Aristotle has adjudged this play as one of the greatest examples of tragic drama in his book,
Poetics, by giving the following reasons:

 The play arouses emotions of pity and fear, and achieves the tragic catharsis.
 It shows the downfall of an extraordinary man of high rank, Oedipus.
 The central character suffers due to his tragic error called hamartia; as he murders his real
father, Laius, and then marries his real mother, Jocasta.
 Hubris is the cause of Oedipus’ downfall.

Example #3: The Importance of Being Earnest (By Oscar Wilde)

Farce:

Oscar Wilde’s play, The Importance of Being Earnest, is a very popular example of
Victorian farce. In this play, a man uses two identities: one as a serious person, Jack (his actual
name), which he uses for Cesily, his ward, and as a rogue named Ernest for his beloved woman,
Gwendolyn.

Unluckily, Gwendolyn loves him partially because she loves the name Ernest. It is when
Jack and Earnest must come on-stage together for Cesily, then Algernon comes in to play Earnest’
role, and his ward immediately falls in love with the other “Ernest.” Thus, two young women think
that they love the same man – an occurrence that amuses the audience.
Example #4: The Heiress (By Henry James)

Melodrama:

The Heiress is based on Henry James’ novel the Washington Square. Directed for stage
performance by William Wyler, this play shows an ungraceful and homely daughter of a
domineering and rich doctor. She falls in love with a young man, Morris Townsend, and wishes to
elope with him, but he leaves her in the lurch. The author creates melodrama towards the end,
when Catherine teaches a lesson to Morris, and leaves him instead.

FUNCTION OF DRAMA

Drama is one of the best literary forms through which dramatists can directly speak to their
readers, or the audience, and they can receive instant feedback of audiences. A few dramatists use
their characters as a vehicle to convey their thoughts and values, such as poets do with personas,
and novelists do with narrators. Since drama uses spoken words and dialogues, thus language of
characters plays a vital role, as it may give clues to their feelings, personalities, backgrounds, and
change in feelings. In dramas the characters live out a story without any comments of the author,
providing the audience a direct presentation of characters’ life experiences.

HOW TO UNDERSTAND A PLAY TEXT

Reading and understanding a play is different to a novel. A novelist often describes the
world and the people they are writing about in a lot of detail. Often there are physical details of
people, places and things. They do a lot of work for you so that you can access a full visual picture.
They also explore the emotional and psychological lives in order to depict 3D characters.

Playwrights focus, in particular, on what it is to be human and on motivations to create

drama. Drama is all about conflict. So when you are reading a play script you need to look in depth
at who the characters really are and why they do what they do.

Unless you are an Actor or Director, opening the pages of a play can seem a bit confusing.
How can you know what is going on when most of what you see on the page is a bunch of dialogue
lines? Where are the clues? Where are the descriptions? Who are these people? What are they
doing? Why are they doing it?

THERE’S NO SPECIAL SECRET. IT’S ALL ABOUT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS…

Let’s break down a play in the way that an Actor or Director does. After all, it’s the job of Actors
and Directors to get it up on its feet and stage it for an audience. They are the people most qualified
to help you to access the characters, details and themes in a play.
PHYSICAL CLUES AND LOCATION

Read the stage directions. Don’t skim through these. A playwright has taken great care
over what they have included to set the scene. Because stage directions are short and to the point
they are extremely useful clues. The playwright has included exactly what they think is crucial for
the audience to know about the world they are being introduced to. Take note of what they have
written to give you access to the world of the play.

 Where are they? Are there descriptions of a room? Furniture? Lighting states? Is it an
exterior scene? How is this described? Why has the playwright set the play here? Why have
they started the play here? Have they told you anything that gives you a clue to the period
in time that the play is set?
 Does the playwright tell you what people are wearing? This can give you an indication of
social class, character type, history, time of day, weather, if it is exterior or interior, or even
a clue to the action of the scene or what has gone before.
 Do you know where the characters have they just come from? This will tell you something
about their physical and emotional state.
 What time is it? Is it light or dark?

If there aren’t many specific stage directions or descriptions included, then see what is said within
the dialogue to give you the clues you need.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

This will give you the social context of the world in which the characters live. Throughout
history there have been different laws and ways of behavior that affect what people do, how they
behave, what they believe, what their aspirations and options might be. Sometimes a character in
a play breaks those social rules to create drama but every character is affected by these aspects in
some way. How much does each character conform and how much do they break from the normal
rules of behaviour of that particular time and period in history?

PROTAGONIST

Who is the PROTAGONIST? Or, in other words, who is the main character? When you
find this out you can discover the main the theme of the play. A playwright will have chosen the
protagonist very carefully for this reason. The protagonist is the character around which the central
story revolves. Everything the protagonist does will give you an indication of the main theme of
the play. This is the message that the playwright wanted to get across. This is the reason they wrote
the play.

OBJECTIVE/WANT

What is their OBJECTIVE? What does each character WANT? Look at each scene and
find out exactly what they are DOING in it. What a character says they want or what say they are
doing is not necessarily what they are really doing or what they really want. Look carefully and
piece these details together and you will get the overall objective of each character in the play.
It is crucial to know what each character wants and then to look at how difficult it is for them to
get what they want. What are the obstacles to them getting it?

CHARACTER/MOTIVATION

Award winning Actress Dame Judi Dench says, “You have to find out WHY does that
person say those lines in answer to something somebody else has said? What is it in that persons
make up that makes them react that way”?

Why do they want what they want? This is their MOTIVATION and it tells you about the
true CHARACTER of the person. What is it about them, their psychological make-up, their
history, their needs and their aspirations that makes them want what they want?

How do they go about getting what they want? What things do they DO to get what they
want? What ways do they choose to take to get what they want? Are they successful in getting
what they want? If they are successful how do they react? If they aren’t then how do they react?

What does the character say about themselves? Go through the script and write down
anything they say about themselves. Then ask yourself if what they are saying is true or could it
be false? Are they trying to impress or lie or pretend to be something they are not? Or they could
even be telling themselves something they need to believe about themselves.

RELATIONSHIPS

Theatre is all about drama. The drama in a play is created by the interaction between
characters within a set of circumstances and events. Look for the subtext underneath the
relationships within a play. What is really being said beneath the lines and why?

Are the relationships in the play all that they seem? Is this really a loving family? Are these
really true friends? Do these people really love each other? Don’t take this a face value. Find what
is going on underneath the relationships and you’ll find the key to the drama of the play.

What is the history between characters? What has gone on before the play starts?

How does one character feel about another? How are they the same? How are they
different? How easily do they express feelings about another character?

What do characters say about each other? Once again, are these things true or false? If they
are false then why is that character lying? Or do they just misunderstand each other?

LAST BUT NOT LEAST…SEE THE PLAY

If you are studying a play and you get the chance to see it live on the stage, GO! Plays are
written to be seen. Even if you see a production you don’t think is great there is no substitute for
experiencing it off the page. And even if you can’t see a live production go on YouTube. There
are many clips and full length productions that have been uploaded on there.
If you are able to see a production of the play you are studying, ask yourself these questions…

What are the three moments that most stood out for you?
Why? What happened? Which characters were involved?
Why did the playwright create these moments to move the drama on?
How did those moments move the story on?
Who was affected in those moments and how?
What did the characters do after those moments in the play?
What happened at the end of the play, in the final moments?
What did you think or feel about the main character (protagonist) and the final moment of
the play?

ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

Drama is a composition of prose or poetry that is transformed

into a performance on stage. The story progresses through interactions
between its characters and ends with a message for the audience. What
are the different elements of drama? How are they related to each other?
How do they affect the quality and thereby the popularity of a play?
Read on to find out.

Drama can be defined as a dramatic work that actors present on stage. A story is
dramatized, which means the characters and events in the story are brought to life through a stage
performance by actors who play roles of the characters in the story and act through its events,
taking the story forward. In enacting the roles, actors portray the character’s emotions and
personalities. The story progresses through verbal and non-verbal interactions between the
characters, and the presentation is suitably supplemented by audio and visual effects.

Through the characters involved, the story has a message to give. It forms the central theme
of the play around which the plot is built. While some consider music and visuals as separate
elements, others prefer to club them under staging which can be regarded as an independent
element of drama. Lighting, sound effects, costumes, makeup, gestures or body language given to
characters, the stage setup, and the props used can together be considered as symbols that are
elements of drama. What dictates most other dramatic elements is the setting; that is the time period
and location in which the story takes place.

PLOT

Plot simply refers to all the events that happened in a story, in the order that its happened, with one
event leading to the other, in that logical sequence. It can also be seen as a wholly interconnected
system of event, deliberately selected and arranged for the purpose of fulfilling a complex set of
imaginative and theatrical purposes.

In order to understand what plot really entails, we should first recognize that a plot comprises
everything that takes place in the imaginative world of the play. In other words, plot is not confined
to what takes place on the stage (what is technically referred to as the scenario). Plot includes off-
stage and on-stage action. Thus, if we wish to identify the plot of a play, we have to distinguish it
from the scenario. The scenario embodies the plot and presents it to us but it is not itself the plot.

We can understand this distinction in the other way if we realized that in a plot, all the events are
necessary arranged chronologically, whereas in a scenario, events are arranged dramatically – that
is in an order that will create the greatest impact on the audience. In some cases, they may result
in a non-chronological order.

Components of plot
The plot is made up of the following components, in the order that it is presented.

1. Exposition
This is where the basic characters and setting are revealed. In most cases the major conflict of the
story, novel or script is also hinted at in the exposition, though smaller conflicts in the plot may be
introduced later on. In a shorter work, the exposition happens within the first few paragraphs, while
in a longer work such as a novel it may happen within the first few chapters. The narrative hook,
or point in the story where the author truly catches the reader's attention, is often presented within
the exposition.

2. Rising Action
Taking place within the first third of a story, novel or script, the rising action is also the part of the
work where the conflict central to the plot is truly introduced. The main characters have been
established and events begin to get complicated for them. They may take actions against the
conflict though it will probably not be solved yet. This element of the plot is where excitement,
tension and crisis are encountered.

3. Climax
This is the Hight of the story. The climax is the turning point of a story, novel or script. It is the
moment where it seems like the main character is in danger or could even possibly fail at resolving
the conflict. Depending on the kind of conflict being faced (man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs
nature, etc.) the actions at this point in the work can be either physical or mental.

4. Falling Action
Taking place after the climax, the falling action includes events that will help to fully resolve the
conflict. The results of actions that the main character has taken are presented as well as the results
of decisions that have been made, whether good or bad for the character.

5. Resolution
The end of a story, novel or script includes the last plot element -- the resolution. It is here that
loose ends are tied up, conflicts are concluded, outcomes are revealed, and a happy or sad ending
takes place. As many of the final actions have already taken place, a resolution can be made up of
just a summary of where the main character will end up in the future.

CHARACTER
A character refers to an artistic creation in a work of art that is created to carry out actions. These
creations may refer to a person, animal, object, phenomenon et cetera. A character may be entirely
fictional or based on a real-life person, in which case the distinction of a "fictional" versus "real"
character may be made. The technique or method of creating a character in writing is known as
characterization.

Types of Characters
1. Round and flat Characters: This is often from the perspective of the writers’ creation. Flat
characters are created as two-dimensional, in that they are relatively uncomplicated. By contrast,
Round Characters are complex figures with many different characteristics, that undergo
development, sometimes sufficiently to surprise the reader.
2. Dynamic and Static Characters: This is often for the perspective of action. Dynamic characters
are the ones that change over the course of the story, while static characters remain the same
throughout the story.

3. Regular Characters: A regular, main or ongoing character is a character who appears in all or
a majority of scenes, or in a significant chain of it. Regular characters may be both core and
secondary ones.

4. A Recurring Character: Often and frequently appears from time to time during the play.
Recurring characters often play major roles in more than one scene, sometimes being the main
focus.

5. A guest character is one which is brought in only to carry out an action in a scene or scenes.
Unlike regular characters, the guest ones do not need to be carefully incorporated into the storyline
with all its ramifications: they create a piece of drama and then disappear without consequences to
the narrative structure, unlike core characters, for which any significant conflict must be traced to
during a considerable time.

SETTING
Setting is an environment in which an event or story takes place. It can also refer to both the time
and geographic location within a narrative or within a work of fiction. As a literary element, setting
helps initiate the main backdrop and mood for a story. It has been referred to as story world or
milieu by literary scholars. It includes the context (especially society) beyond the immediate
surroundings of the story. It may provide information about placement and timing, such as New
York, America, in the year 1820. Setting could be simply descriptive like a lonely cottage on a
mountain. Social conditions, historical time, geographical locations, weather, immediate
surroundings, and timing are all different aspects of setting.

DIALOGUE
Dialogue is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a
literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange. Also, a dialogue can be seen as a literary
element in which writers employ two or more characters to be engaged in conversation with each
other. In literature, it is a conversational passage or a spoken or written exchange of conversation
in a group or between two persons directed towards a subject.
We have the in inner dialogue, -- the characters speak to themselves and reveal their personalities.
To use inner dialogue, writers employ literary techniques like stream of consciousness or dramatic
monologue. Outer Dialogue – It is a simple conversation between two characters used in almost
all types of fictional works.

Dialogue advances the plot of a narrative, and reveals the characters that cannot be understood
otherwise. It presents an exposition of the background or the past events and creates the tone of a
narrative. Its usage can also be seen in the modern literary works, where it colours the personalities
of the characters, creates a conflict, highlights the vernacular and moves the storyline forward.
Moreover, dialogue makes a literary piece interesting and alive, and gives enjoyable experience to
the readers.

MUSIC

This element includes the use of sounds and rhythm in dialogs as well as music compositions that
are used in the plays. The background score, the songs, and the sound effects used should
complement the situation and the characters in it. The right kind of sound effects or music, if placed
at the right points in the story, act as a great supplement to the high and low points in the play. The
music and the lyrics should go well with the play’s theme. If the scenes are accompanied by pieces
of music, they become more effective on the audiences.

VISUAL ELEMENT

While the dialog and music are the audible aspects 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 the stage setup. The costumes and makeup must suit the
characters. 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 should accentuate the portion or character of the story
that is being highlighted.

Apart from these elements, the structure of the story, a clever use of symbolism and contrast, and
the overall stagecraft are some of the other important elements of drama.

The structure of the story comprises the way in which it is dramatized. How well the actors play
their roles and the story’s framework constitute the structure of drama. Direction is an essential
constituent of a play. A well-directed story is more effective. Stagecraft defines how the play is
presented to the audiences. The use and organization of stage properties and the overall setting of
a play are a part of stagecraft, which is a key element of drama.

Symbols are often used to give hints of the future events in the story. They complement the other
elements of a scene and make it more effective. The use of contrasts adds to the dramatic element
of a play. It could be in the form of contrasting colors, contrasting backdrops, an interval of silence
followed by that of activity and noise, or a change in the pace of the story.

The dramatization of a story cannot be called successful unless the audiences receive it well. It
may improve through constructive criticism or due to improvisations introduced by the actors. And
a generous appreciation from the audiences encourages everyone involved in the making of a play,
to continue doing good work

THEME

A theme is the central topic in a text. The most common contemporary understanding of theme is
an idea or point that is central to a story, which can often be summed in a single word (e.g. love,
death, betrayal). A theme may be exemplified by the actions, utterances, or thoughts of a character
in a play. A story may have several themes. Along with plot, character, setting, and style, theme is
considered one of the components of fiction.
How does one distinguish between minor themes and major themes? You must turn your attention
to the central conflict of the story. The details of the events surrounding this central conflict contain
the major themes of the story. Once you find one that seems to relate to almost everything in the
story, you have located a central theme of the story.

DRAMA ANALYSIS

How To Write Drama Analysis Essay or An Essay About A Play

Writing a play analysis requires you to look at what, to many, is a simple form of entertainment in
a much more in depth and critical manner. Play analysis requires you to untangle the plot and main
characters, and discuss how they worked together and detracted or attracted to the overall
performance. Then one must also consider the work the play is based on, and consider that as well.
The following are steps recommended by iwriteessays.com on how to write a drama essay:

What Are the Basic Elements of Play Analysis?

i. Plot

The plot of a play is the basic structure, as well as the message of the play. It is basically, what the
play entails. There are two basic structures for a play plot – linear and non-linear. Linear plots play
out in chronological order; non-linear plots have "flash backs”, and take place at different points
in time, not in chronological order. A plot summary, or a basic overview of the plot, is necessary
in most play analysis.

ii. Characters
These elements of the play bring the story to live. They are the integral elements by which the
story revolves. The relationships between the different roles are vital to the overall mood and
message of the work. There are main characters that play vital roles in the plot of the play, and
secondary characters that are there to help set a mood.

iii. Language

The way that the characters talk – the type of language they use, formal, conversational, etc. –
provides a lot of insight into the environment the characters inhabit. It deepens the plot, making it
more consistent with the period and mood.

iv. Setting

The setting generally adds relevance and richness to the environment of the performance.

v. Main Idea

This is the message of the play, or the point of the play. What was the playwright trying to get
across with his or her work? That is the main idea of the play.

vi. Performance

This is the execution of a live rendition of a written play. Here one must take into account acting,
directing, staging and more.

Writing steps of a drama essay

a. Be specific about your drama essay topic

b. Create an outline with concise sentences. The outline will help keep the content of the paper
in a logical order and create an organized overview of the paper.

c. Do not rely on just one source when writing the paper. Reading other play analysis might help
you come up with ideas of your own. There can be many different themes of a play, decide what
type of theme interest you the most.

d. Assure that each of your main ideas are strongly supported

e. Remember to cite when appropriate