What I Know

Let me see how depth your knowledge is about this lesson. Are you ready?
You can begin now.

A. Directions: Write True if the statement is correct and False if it

is incorrect. Use the space provided.

F 1. A drama is a type of literature that is written for the purpose of being

read in front of an audience.
T 2. Scene is a single situation or unit of dialogue in a play.
T 3. Act is composed of many scenes.
F 4. Comedy is a form of drama in which there is a display of
human suffering and catharsis for the audience
F 5. Tragedy is a form of entertainment meant to be humorous.

B. Directions: Read the statements. Determine the letter of the correct answer.

C 6. Someone who writes plays and also known as a dramatist.

A. Actors B. Author C. Playwright D. Characters
C 7. It is a piece of writing in the form of drama composed of
dialogue, stage directions and instructions to the actors and director.
A. Comedy B. Drama C. Script D. Playwright
B 8. The conversation between two or more characters in a literary work.
A. Drama B. Dialogue C. Script D. Playwright
D 9. The form of live theatre in which the plot, characters and
dialogue of a game, scene or story are made up in the moment.
A. Comedy B. Drama C. Theatre D. Improvisation
C 10. The main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work,
which may be stated directly or indirectly.
A. Conflict B. Drama C. Theme D. Theatre
A 11. The person who portrays a character in a performance.
A. Actors B. Author C. Playwright D. Scriptwriter
C 12. The audience knows something the characters don’t.
A. Drama B. Improvisation C. Dramatic Irony D. Tragic Irony
 B 13. It is a literary element that involves a struggle between
two opposing forces, usually a protagonist and an antagonist.
A. Actors B. Conflict C. Problem D. Theme
D 14. A drama or literary work that depicts calamitous events
and has an unhappy but meaningful ending.
A. Drama B. Comedy C. Dialogue D. Tragedy
D 15. It is a device in which an object, person or situation is

given another meaning beyond its literal one.

A. Act B. Audience C. Improvisation D. Symbolism

Good Job! You have successfully answered the first tasks. Were you able to answer all
the items correctly? If not, do not worry because I am here to help you throughout
this lesson.

Lesson
Elements, Techniques
and
Literary Devices of Drama
Drama also known as a play, is a form of literature written intentionally for
theatrical performance. It is usually fictional and most of its parts are consisted of
scripted dialogues, or only the acting in some cases, between characters intended to
be performed.

It is one of the first forms of storytelling in human history. Also, drama was
popular in many other parts of the world. Drama examples have continued to be
significant in different areas of the world and throughout different time periods. One of
the reasons that drama has continued to have such an important place in literature is its
unique way of presenting a narrative in real time.
Did you know that there are various elements, techniques and literary devices
in drama? This module will help you learn the various elements, techniques and
literary devices in drama. This is your Lesson 1 for Quarter 2.
 What’s In

Now, let’s take a look at what you have learned from your previous
lesson/experiences. Can you still remember them?
If yes, let’s answer the next activity.

Activity 1: Match Up

Directions: Let us recall important points. Match column A with column B.

Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

A B
C 1. Plot A. a word or phrase that goes beyond its literal
meaning
F 2. Theme B. an author's use of vivid and descriptive language
to add depth to their work

G 3. Setting C. the sequence of events in a story

E 4. Conflict
B 5. Imagery
D 6. Character
H 7. Assonance
D. a person or another being in a text
E. the struggle or problem between two opposing forces
F. the central topic, subject, or message within a
narrative
G. the time and place (or when and where) of the story

I 8. Alliteration H. the repetition of the sound of a vowel sound

J 9. Point of View I. repetition of identical initial consonant sounds in
successive or closely associated syllables within a
group of words

A 10. Figures of Speech J. refers to who is telling or narrating a story

Well done! Thank you for trying to remember your previous lesson. I know it
could be hard for you to remember it but you did your best. Now, I think you are
ready. Let’s start with our lesson.
 What’s New

Activity 2: Double Trouble

Directions: You have learned about prose and poetry in your previous modules.
Study the two forms of text below. Then, using the Venn diagram below, compare and
contrast the two texts.

Text 1
Act I
Scene 2
The LIGHTS come up on ROSE hanging up clothes.
SHE hums and sings softly to herself.
It is the following morning.
ROSE. (Sings.)
Jesus, be a fence all around me every day
Jesus, I want you to protect me as I travel on my way. Jesus,
be a fence all around me every day.
(TROY enters from the house)
ROSE
Jesus, I want you to protect me
As I travel on my way.
(To TROY.) Morning. You ready for breakfast? I can fix it as soon as I finish
hanging up these clothes?
TROY. I got the coffee on. That'll be all right. I'll just drink some of that this morning.
- From: August Wilson's Fences

Text 2

All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances, And
one man in his time plays many parts, His acts
being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling
and puking in the nurse's arms.
- From: All the World's a Stage by William Shakespeare
Now, complete this Venn diagram.

Activity 3: What’s in this Name

Directions: Using the organizer below, write down words associated with
drama.

DRAMA

What is It

How is it? Is your learning from this module progressing? Let’s continue.
This time let us learn about the following concepts:

What is Drama?

Drama comes from the Greek Word, “Dran” which means “To do” or “To Act”.
Doing/Acting makes drama. It is the presentation of actions on a stage
 through actors/actress before an audience. Like a short story or novel, it has a
setting, characters, plot, and even symbolism.

But What Makes Drama Unique?

Drama has one characteristic peculiar to itself—it is written primarily to

be performed, not read.

Two Types of Drama

1. Tragedy - is a form of drama in which events lead to the downfall of the

main character, often a person of great significance, like a king or hero.
Example: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
2. Comedy - is a form of drama that has a happy ending. Humor comes
from the dialogue and situations.
Example: The Knaves of Shakespeare

Elements of Drama

Categories

1. Literary Elements
Aristotle’s Six Elements
1.1 Plot refers to the action; the basic storyline of the play.
Six Stages in a Plot Structure

Initial Incident Preliminary Event Rising Action

Denouement Falling Action Climax

1.2 Theme refers to the message that is intended to be expressed

through the story. In other words, it is the main idea or the lesson to
be learned from the play.
1.3 Characters and Actors- the people (sometimes animals or ideas)
portrayed by the actors.
Typically, each character, both major and minor, is listed alongside a brief
description of the character's role in the story. Below, you can see that Troy is the
main character, and each character is described in relation to him.
 Example
Characters
TROY MAXSON GABRIEL, Troy's brother
JIM BONO, Troy's friend CORY, Troy and Rose's son
ROSE, Troy's wife RAYNELL, Troy's daughter
LYONS, Troy's oldest son by previous
marriage
Characterization is the way the playwright/author presents a character

Types of Character
1. Protagonist is the main character of a story.
2. Antagonist is the opposite of a Protagonist. Usually the
villain or opponent of the main character
3. Round character are complex and undergo development.
4. Flat character are relatively uncomplicated and do
not change throughout the whole story.
1.4 Dialogue refers to words written by the playwright and spoken by
the characters in the play.
Forms of Dialogue:
It is the conversation between two or more characters is referred to
as dialogue (usually the majority of speech in plays consists of dialogue). A
monologue is when one character delivers a speech to convey his or her
thoughts, although other characters may remain on stage in scene. Similar
to a monologue, a soliloquy is a speech made by one character but
delivered when he or she is alone on stage.
1.5 Music/Rhythm referring to the rhythm of the actors’ voice as they speak
1.6 Spectacle – refers to the visual elements of a play: Set, Costumes,
special effects
Elements of Drama in the Modern Theater

Characters Plot Theme

Dialogue Convention – refers to Genre – type of play Audience

techniques/methods
 2. Technical Elements
2.1 Scene (Set) refers to the theatrical equipment
2.2 Costumes refers to clothing and accessories used by actors to
portray characters
2.3 Properties any movable object that appears on stage
2.4 Sound refers to the effects an audience hears during the performance
2.5 Lights
2.6 Makeup includes costumes, wigs, and body paints used to
transform characters
Other Elements:

1. Playwright-the author of a play (script)

2. Script- the written pages of a play. Scripts are divided into Acts and Scenes.
Acts- long sections of a play, made up of multiple scenes, usually designed
to separate the play into its main parts and to give the audience a “break”
from the performance.

Scenes- shorter sections of a play, usually each scene occurs in one

location at a specific time. Multiple scenes make up an act. It is often
signaled by the entrance or exit of a character or change in setting or focus
of the action

Example from August Wilson's Fences

Act I Scene
2
The LIGHTS come up on ROSE hanging up clothes.
SHE hums and sings softly to herself.
It is the following morning.
ROSE. (Sings.)
Jesus, be a fence all around me every day
Jesus, I want you to protect me as I travel on my way. Jesus,
be a fence all around me every day.
(TROY enters from the house)
 3. Setting - the place, together with other conditions, such as time and the
environment, involved in which the events occur. The setting in the drama
can be presented through the visual element deals with the scenes, costumes
and special effects used in it. The setting can as well be enhanced by using
viewable elements, sound effects, and music.
4. Conflict - the internal or external struggle that creates dramatic tension.
Internal Conflict ▪ Person vs Society

▪ ▪ Person vs. Nature

Person vs Self
▪ Person vs. Supernatural
External Conflict
▪ Person vs. ▪ Person vs. Technology
Fate/God Person
vs. Person
Source: Elements of Drama: Characters, Plot, Setting & Symbolism, 2013)

Techniques in Drama

1. Vocal Dynamics – actors need to expand their vocal toolbox and learn about
the ways that range, pitch, and pronunciation which affect performance
2. Body Language and Mannerisms - actors bring their characters to life by
moving, reacting, and even standing in nuanced ways that are natural for
their character.
3. Use and Awareness of Space - actors need to be aware not just of your “marks” on
stage, but also of the actors who must interact with or move past you
4. Improvisational Techniques refers to the on-the-spot creativity of the actors.

Common Literary Devices Used in Drama

• Figures of speech – words that goes its literal meaning

Metaphor - are one of the most extensively used literary devices. A metaphor
refers to a meaning or identity ascribed to one subject by way of another. In a
metaphor, one subject is implied to be another so as to draw a comparison
between their similarities and shared traits.
For example:
a rose (object) is substituted for love (feeling)
“Henry was a lion on the battlefield.”
Similes are one of the most commonly used literary devices; referring to
the practice of drawing parallels or comparisons between two unrelated
and dissimilar things, people, beings, places and concepts. Similes are
marked by the use of the words ‘as’ or ‘such as’ or ‘like’
 For example:
He is like a mouse in front of the teacher.

• Imagery - the author’s attempt to create a mental picture in the mind of

the reader. It appeals to the senses.
For example:
Visual imagery - It was dark in the forest…
Olfactory Imagery (smell) – She whiffed the sweet aroma of his drink
Tactile Imagery (touch) - She held it with her rough hand the soft pillow.
• Symbolism - when an object is meant to be representative of something or an
idea greater than the object itself or it is the frequent use of words, places,
characters, or objects that mean something beyond what they are on a literal
level.

For example: a writer uses the word ‘blood’ once its meaning will be confined to
that instance in which it is used.
But if the word is used repeatedly, as it is in plays like Macbeth and Romeo
and Juliet it expresses some profound ideas. By using a word repeatedly in
different contexts it expresses several interlocking themes. In Romeo and Juliet
‘blood’ refers to all the following and more themes: violence, youth, passion,
family ties.

• Dramatic Irony – involves the reader (or audience) knowing something

about what's happening in the plot, about which the character(s) have no
knowledge.
For example:
From Romeo and Juliet

“Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye / Than twenty of their swords!
Look thou but sweet, / And I am proof against their enmity” (act 2,
scene 2).
Romeo tries to reassure Juliet by claiming he is invincible to her
family's hostility, but the audience knows that the young lovers are
doomed to die as a result of the feud.

• Foreshadowing refers to the use of indicative words/phrases and hints

that set the stage for a story to unfold and give the reader a hint of
something that is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling
the suspense. Foreshadowing is used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the
story.

15
Example:
“He had no idea of the disastrous chain of events to follow.”

What’s More

You’ve done a great job in the previous activities. Now, I think you are
equipped with ideas and ready for more challenging and exciting tasks. Try to answer
this.

Activity 4: Extracting Information

Directions: Study the text below and identify the elements/literary device used.
Use and complete the table below.

Sorry, Wrong Number

(A Radio Play) By Lucille Fletcher

CAST
Mrs. Stevenson Sergeant Duffy Chief Operator Information Operator
Operator Third operator Second Operator
First Man Woman at Henchley Hospital
Second Man (George) Western Union Clerk

(Sound: Number being dialed on phone; busy signal.)

Mrs. Stevenson. (a querulous, self-centered neurotic) Oh—dear! (Slams
down receiver.
Dials Operator. )
Operator. Your call, please?
Mrs. Stevenson. Operator? I’ve been dialing Murray Hill 4-0098 now for the last
threequarters
of an hour, and the line is always busy. But I don’t see how it could be busy
that long. Will you try it for me, please?
Operator. Murray Hill 4-0098? One moment, please.
Mrs. Stevenson. I don’t see how it could be busy all the time. It’s my husband’s
office.
He’s
working late tonight, and I’m all alone here in the house. My health is very poor—
and
I’ve been feeling so nervous all day—
Operator. Ringing Murray Hill 4-0098.
(Sound: Phone buzz. It rings three times. Receiver is picked up at the other
end.) Man. Hello.
Source: DepEd Grade 9 Learner’s Material

Elements of Drama Evidence

1. 6. Lucille Fletcher

2. Characters 7.

3. 8.

4. 9.

5. 10.

*A separate sheet of paper may be used if necessary.

Activity 5: Think & Match

Directions: Match the literary devices on the left with its appropriate example on the
right. Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

B 11 Simile A. Romeo: By some vile forfeit of the untimely death.

E 12. Metaphor B. “And to ‘thy go like lightning”
A 13. Dialogue C. The servant away with the joint-stools, remove the
court-cupboard, look to the plate.
C 14. Imagery D. Romeo thought that Juliet was dead and he kills
Chimself.
D 15. Dramatic Irony E. My life is a foe of debt!
Activity 6: Say It
Directions: Study the conversation below lifted from Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare. Identify whether the line is a monologue or a dialogue. Write your
answer on the space provided.
MONOLOGUE 16. Act Four, Scene Three: Juliet
Drinks the Medicine Juliet's room. Juliet is wearing her
wedding-dress.
Juliet: They think that I'm going to marry Paris tomorrow, but they're wrong, (She
takes out Father Lawrence's bottle.) When I drink this, I'll fall asleep. They'll think I'm
dead. Oh, I'm so afraid! I won't wake up for two days. When I wake up, I'll be in the
tomb, with dead bodies around me. But I must do it. Romeo will come and find me, and
we'll be together again! (She drinks the medicine and lies down on her bed.)

MONOLOGUE 17. Act Five, Scene One: News from Verona

Romeo is walking along a street in Mantua. There are some shops in the street.
Romeo: Oh, I'm so lonely without Juliet I want to go back to Verona, but I can't go
back yet. I must wait until Father Lawrence sends a message. I'll hear some news
soon, I hope.

DIALOGUE 18. Act Three, Scene One: More Trouble

A busy street in Verona. Some people are walking
along the street. Mercutio and Benvolio are talking.
Benvolio: It's hot today, isn't it? I don't like this weather. People feel angry when it's
so hot. (Tybalt and some friends enter.)
Mercutio: Look! It's the Capulets – over there! Benvolio:
Don't start an argument, we don't want
 Assessment

Well done! We are now close to the finish line of this module. But,
before we say goodbye, kindly take this test to check how much you have learned
from this module.

Activity 9: Final Task

Directions: Study and complete each statement below. Write letter of your
answer on a separate answer sheet.
1. In drama, a/an is any conversation between two or
more people.
A. Actors B. Dialogue C. Monologue D. Script

2. refers to the range, pitch, and pronunciation of the

actors which affect performance.
A. Improvisational Techniques
B. Mannerisms
C. Space
D. Vocal Dynamics

3. A/an is lines spoken by one person (it can

be to someone else, to himself/herself, or to the audience).

A. Actors B. Dialogue C. Monologue D. Script

4. A/an is the the sequence of events in a story.

A. Act B. Plot C. Scene D. Climax

5. A is a type of literature that is written for the purpose of

being read in front of an audience.
A. Drama B. Dialogue C. Scene D. Script

6. is a single situation or unit of dialogue in a play.

A. Act B. Drama C. Dialogue D. Scene

7. is a form of drama in which there is a display of human

suffering and catharsis for the audience.
A. Comedy B. Drama C. Dialogue D. Tragedy

8. A/an is composed of many scenes.

A. Act B. Drama C. Dialogue D. Scene

9. A is a form of entertainment meant to be humorous

A. Comedy B. Drama C. Dialogue D. Tragedy

10. is author’s attempt to create a mental picture in the mind

of the reader. It appeals to the senses.
A. Imagery B. Metaphor C. Simile D. Symbolism
11. refers to the on-the-spot creativity of the actors.
A. Improvisational Techniques
 B. Mannerisms
C. Space
D. Vocal Dynamics

12. A is a piece of writing in the form of drama composed of

dialogue, stage directions and instructions to the actors and director.
A. Comedy B. Drama C. Script D. Playwright

13. is used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the story.

A. Imagery B. Dramatic Irony C. Foreshadowing D. Symbolism

14. A refers to the visual elements of a play.

A. Costume B. Props C. Set D. Spectacle

15. A type of character that undergo changes in the text.

A. Actors B. Antagonist C. Flat D. Round