Drama

An Introduction.

Abhilasha Eliza.P. Kumar

Assistant Professor,
English, Arts.
Banaras Hindu University

(The data has been taken from various sources)

 DRAMA
Has its origin in the Greek word ‘drain’, which means ‘to do’, and the word ‘scene
comes from ‘scana’ which means ‘to see

A composition in verse or prose intended to portray life or character or to tell a story

usually involving conflicts and emotions through action and dialogue and typically
designed for theatrical performance (Meriam& Webster dictionary)

(PLAY— compare CLOSET DRAMA)

dramatic literature, the texts of plays that can be read, as distinct from being seen
and heard in performance. (Britannica)

But to appreciate drama it should be considered as a whole i.e. performance as well

as literary merit.
 But, how to read a play?
As it is primarily for performance.

Remember- the words on the page are meant to be spoken, so the

best way to read a play is to immerse yourself totally in it and make
use of your imagination.

The play is written to be staged. An actor

can make a difference while performing.

We do not have narration or story telling in a

play, but we have stage directions and

dialogues
Constituents of a drama:

Conflict Theme Plot

Setting/
Characters Dialogues
Atmosphere
• A play is much more concentrated compared to a novel
1. All drama is brought out or created by a -CONFLICT

-Conflict -Conflict
CONFLICT- is the -Conflict
between between two
meeting of between two
individual and the contradictory
opposite forces. people
environment desires within
The nature of a the same
conflict can be: person.
• 2. Theme: the idea/s, the moral lesson

• 3. Plot: Actions reveal characters. (the Cause)

• 4. Characters: the people. Protagonist and Antagonist.

• 5. Dialogues: the conversations along with soliloquies and asides

• 6. Setting/ Atmosphere: the lights, the stage setup, props,

costumes, music, sound, etc.
Characters:

The people in the play.

Are of two types- round and flat

Main character- Protagonist; Rival- Antagonist

Stock characters (stereotypical)- Clown, Fool [known

for their wit]
Dialogue

The words uttered by the characters.

It reveals the plot and the nature and intensions of the characters

Dialogues may be:

An exchange between two or more characters

Soliloquy: A character that is typically alone on the stage delivers a long speech, which other
characters cannot hear. Emotions and innermost thoughts are revealed.

Aside: this is spoken by a character to himself (that is to the audience) or to another character,
in the presence of other characters on the stage but is not heard by them.
Plot The plot is constituted by its events and actions, as
these are rendered and ordered towards achieving
particular artistic and emotional effects.

The conflict forms the basis of the plot, it leads the

character towards its tragic or comic end.

The turning point of the plot is called –Climax. It is the

revelation of information or decision or action

Thus, the plot is the- cause- behind the narration/story

Setting

It consist of location, time and social

circumstances.

It is important in generating the atmosphere of the

play

It also includes the props, sceneries, visual and

audio components, costumes, etc.
Stage Directions

• The writer communicates his intensions with the actors,

crew and also audience (in modern drama) by means of
stage directions.
Theme It informs us about the idea
and suggestive meanings of
the play

It deals with the main idea

within the story

The plot and the theme

should compliment each
other.
Aristotle Mythos: the story and the plot. This is where
suggested six interpretation begins.
focal points:
Ethos: The environment in which the play is written.
The intellectual and cultural significance.
(of what to look
while reading/ Lexis: the writing style; harsh, poetic, what kind of
watching a play) language is used.

Dianoia: what emotion is evoked in you? Is there any

ideology, sentiment, feeling similar to yours?

Opsis: what you can see on the stage? Or what you

imagine while reading a play.

Melos: the integral part of drama- music, dance,

chants, chorus, etc.
How is a play
structured? Exposition
Traditionally
into 5 parts: Complication/ Rising action

Climax

Falling action

Denouement / conclusion
Exposition: The main characters and the problem is introduced.
The tone/atmosphere of the play is set.

Complication/ Rising action: New problems are added to the main

problem. Complications arise.

Climax: when the action comes to a point where the writer cannot
change the end, it will decide its being a tragedy or a comedy. It
might come at the beginning or end. It is the turning point of the
play. It is characterized by the highest amount of suspense.
Falling action: the complication resolves itself,
solutions come. The opposite of Rising action. The
unknown details or plot twists are revealed.

Denouement: which means conclusion, the final

outcome of the drama. If the end is a comedy we call
it a solution, but if it’s a tragedy it leads to catharsis.
Gustav Freytag’s pyramid/triangle