Types of Drama in Literature

There are 7 types of drama in literature to bring out the narrative. These are:
Comedy
Comedy is a type or genre of drama that is intended to make people laugh. However, humour is
not the only quality that signifies a comedy. The main themes of a comedy are-
 The tone is lighthearted.
 Ingenious wordplay or twists of phrases.
 Serious issues are addressed in a lighthearted manner.
 Misunderstandings are amusing.
 A happy ending.
 Characters who are silly and out of the ordinary.
 Usually concludes with a wedding, especially in romantic comedies.
The sub-genres of comedy include romantic comedies, sentimental comedies and others. William
Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” is one of the most famous instances of comedy. With
smart banter and more than a few stupid misunderstandings, Beatrice and Benedick go from
enemies to lovers. And, as is customary in Shakespearean comedies, it concludes with a wedding!
Another Shakespearean comedy is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. This romantic comedy
addresses one of his favourite themes, “love conquers all,” with a funny twist. Young couples
continually fall in and out of love as a result of a sequence of humorous and surprising events.
Their equally humorous real-world problems are magically solved by a mischievous sprite named
Puck as they tackle the flaws of love. Old enemies will soon become friends, and truly loved ones
will meet again to live happily at Shakespeare’s happy ending.
Farce
Farce is another type of drama in literature which is, broadly humorous, however, there are
significant differences between a comedy and a farce. The main themes of farce are-
 Exaggerated wit
 Jokes that are slapstick
 The plot is illogical.
 Unexpected occurrences
 Humor is frequently coarse and inappropriate.
The play “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett is a case on point. But, The plot revolves around
two guys, Vladimir and Estragon. The men wait beneath a tree for Godot, a mystery figure. We do
discover, though, that Godot continually sends word that he would arrive the next day, but this
never happens. In other words, nothing happens with any surety in this drama.
Tragedy
Therefore, tragedies are one of the most common and popular types of drama. As you can
probably guess, tragedies tend to be sad. However, there is more to tragedies than that. The main
themes are-
  A fatal fault in the protagonist
 Situations that easily spiral out of control — and not in a good way
 Human agony, hate, or poverty are frequent topics. These are darker topics than in a
melodrama.
 Describes the demise of a once heroic or well-liked persona.
 An unredeemable conclusion in which one or more characters die
 Arrives at a terrible catharsis
Shakespeare offers a plethora of tragedies from which to pick. Few, however, can compare to
“Othello” in terms of its vicious villain, tragic demise of its hero, and heartbreaking denouement.
Because he doesn’t believe he deserves the life he has, Othello loses everything he has ever
loved or desired.
Tragi-Comedy
These complex among the types of drama in literature. They are more than just tragedy and
comedy blended together. The main themes are-
 A serious plot delivered in a funny, sarcastic, or snarky manner.
 Characters with tragic flaws whose acts do not result in death
 A confusing subject
 Characters with broad personalities that act in stereotypically humorous ways
 There is no joyful or funny conclusion.
Classic plays were primarily concerned with clear-cut comedy, tragedy, or melodramatic genres.
Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” contains enough comedic aspects to keep it
from being classified as a tragedy – yet no one can argue that Blanche DuBois is anything other
than a terribly broken character. It is the epitome of modern tragicomedy.
Melodrama
Melodramas are an exaggerated kind of drama in literature, in which conventional one-
dimensional characters such as heroes, heroines, and villains contend with exciting, passionate,
and frequently deadly situations. The main themes of melodrama are-
 Character clichés include heroes, heroines, villains, mentors, and so on.
 Romantic or sombre stories with sweeping arcs
 Plots and events that are larger-than-life (or very small stories told in big ways)
 Character reactions are exaggerated
 Clearly defined literary topics
 Character flaws must be overcome in order to attain a resolution
 Ending that is sometimes cheerful and sometimes sad
When referring to melodrama, take Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”. Nora’s exaggerated emotions
place the piece squarely in the category of melodrama. WOW!! The finale is a blend of Nora’s
delight and hope and Torvald’s melancholy and despair. Sometimes called “tear-jerkers”, another
example of such melodramas is the play “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams.
Opera
Many a time, people don’t understand the difference between opera and musicals. An opera is a
type of drama where the actors sing the lines or dialogues instead of speaking them. Also, the
main themes of an opera are-
 Arias, which are actually musical soliloquies.
 Plot-driving sequences that may or may not be melodious
 A libretto (text) that has been turned to music.
 Tragic, comic, or melodramatic subject matter
 May have a dancing aspect, but mostly depends upon vocal performances
 Set design, costume design, and production
Giacomo Puccini’s “La Boheme” is one of the most famous operas of all time. It portrays the sad
narrative of Rodolfo and Mimi, as well as the world of French Bohemia. The drama unfolds over
the course of a year, set to one of opera’s most unforgettable compositions.
Musical
Musicals are different from opera. While lines in opera are sung, dialogues in musicals are infused
with music and performances. The main themes of musicals are-
 Firstly Songs break up periods of conventional plot.
 Characters frequently sing in unison to express their emotions.
 Songs as plot-altering devices
 Storylines that be dramatic or hilarious
 A memorable and unique musical score
 Frequently a lot of singing and dancing.
Many musicals, such as “Les Miserables” and “Phantom of the Opera” are based on larger literary
works. Both of these musical dramas communicate their topics directly via song and use musical
sequences to advance the story. They simplify their original material by focusing on the most vital
characters and plot components.