Drama

By: Nazenin Mohammed

 Drama
1. Definition of drama
2. Elements of drama
Actors
Stage
Audience
1. Types of Drama
2. Dramatic terms
 Definition of drama
Drama is defined by Aristotle as "a criticism of life, on a stage, with action,
characters and dialogue."

Drama is a composition in a prose form that presents a

story entirely told in dialogue and action and written with the
intention of its eventual performance by actors in front of
audience.
 What is Drama?
Drama is any literary work that tells a story that usually includes actors on stage before a
live audience.

Drama comes from Greek word "dran" which means "to do" or "to act." It also referred
to as
"play"

Generally, while drama is the printed text of a play, the word theatre often refers to the
actual production of the text on the stage. Theatre thus involves action taking place on
the stage, the lighting, the scenery, the accompanying music, the costumes, the
atmosphere, and so on.
Elements of drama
The actors:

Actors of drama are those people or

persons who perform the play on stage
before the audience
 Elements of drama
The Stage
● It is the most important element and
without it the drama is never performed
● It is the name of place where on the
drama is acted
 Elements of drama
The audience
Spectators of the play being performed on stage
 Common terms in Drama
Theme Catastrophe
Plot Chorus
Protagonist Climax
Character Satire
Characterization Exposition
Conflict
Motif stereotype
 Terms in Drama
Character
A Character is a person or anything that has an active role on stage of a drama. Sometime it
may be an animal, an object, a tree or an illusionary character.

Characterization
is the way of describing and creating characters in drama. Characterization usually includes
personality traits of an individual character and includes both descriptions of a character's
physical qualities as well as the personality of a character. It also includes the way that
characters act, think, behave, and speak.
 Terms in Drama
Protagonist
The protagonist is the main character of a work of literature: drama, novel, story, or a heroic
poem. It may be a male character or a female, for male character, word hero is also used and
in same way heroin is used for female protagonist. Sometime a drama or play may have more
than one protagonist or may be without a protagonist or sometime this character remains
hidden.

Catastrophe
is dramatic action that is done after tragedy or tragic event.
It is an important tragic event ranging from bad luck to extreme misfortune (bad luck or
disaster) or ruin of tragic hero. It may be due to fate, trickery of an anti-hero(a villain).
 Terms in Drama
Chorus
This term is used for a group of singers and dancers who perform on stage and their
performance or song predicts future happenings in the drama and connects parts of
drama. In Elizabethan drama chorus spoke the prologue (opening or foreword) of the
drama. It was most common part of drama in Greek tragedies.

Climax
The climax of a literary work is the very peak of pressure nearly after the mid of the
drama from which the conclusion comes down. In a tragedy, the climax reveals the
protagonist's greatest weaknesses or change in his mind, and this situation creates
curiosity and interest among viewers and they expect something unusual.
 Terms in Drama
Satire
Satire is a type of literature that is used to scorn problems in society, businesses community,
government, and individuals in order to highlight attention to certain vices, abuses, and follies,
for the sake of improvements. Sarcasm and irony are usually key tools of satire. Satirists also
use analogy, parody, and juxtaposition to highlight their points.

Exposition
Exposition is the beginning of a drama in which characters are introduced through a prologue,
a chorus song or through dialogue depending on the plot of the drama
 Motif Terms in Drama
A motif is a repeating theme in the play. Some plays or stories have more than one
theme. The theme that is repeating in many sections of the play is called motif.

Stereotype
The term stereotype is used for conservative ideas in a play about a character, setting or
plot.

Conflict
Conflict is a state of clash between the ideas and choice in minds of the characters. They
cannot choose the right way and get stuck between true and fake.
 Types of Drama
Tragedy

A type of drama in which the characters experience

misfortunes. Catastrophe and suffering await many of the
characters, especially the hero.
 Types of Drama
Comedy

A type of drama in which the characters experience of

fortunate event. Things work out happily in the end. May be
romantic - characterized by a tone of tolerance and geniality.
 Types of Drama
TragiComedy
is a play that does not adhere strictly to the structure of tragedy. This is usually a
serious play that also has some of the qualities of comedy. It arouses thought
even with laughter. drama that contains elements of tragedy and comedy. One
example of tragicomedies is English playwright William Shakespeare's so-called
reconciliation plays, such as The Winter's Tale (1610),
which reach a tragic climax but then lighten to a happy
conclusion. A tragicomedy is the usual form for plays
in the tradition of the theater of the absurd.
 Types of Drama
Frace
Farce is a sub-category of comedy, characterized by greatly
exaggerated characters and situations. Characters tend to be one-
dimensional and often follow stereotypical behavior. Farces typically
involve mistaken identities, lots of physical comedy and outrageous
plot twists.
 Types of Drama
Melodrama
A drama, such as a play, film, or television program, characterized by
exaggerated emotions, stereotypical characters, and interpersonal conflicts
Melodrama is another type of exaggerated drama. As in farce, the characters
tend to be simplified and one-dimensional.
The formulaic storyline of the classic melodrama
typically involves a villain and hero who must
rescue the heroine from the villain.
“Melodrama is divided into
2 types”

1. Romantic melodrama
2. Satire melodrama
 Romantic melodrama

A long fictional prose narrative about improbable events involving

characters that are quite different from ordinary people.
 Satire melodrama

A literary work in which human vice or folly is

attacked through irony, derision, or wit. A literary
mode based on criticism of people and society
through ridicule (Mockery).
Thank you