Drama

Introduction
What is Drama?
 A drama is defined as a piece of literature of which the
intended purpose is to be performed in front of an
audience.

 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.

 A play for theatre, radio or television.

Elements of Drama

KEY QUESTIONS

1. PLOT – What happens?

2. CHARACTER – Who does what?
3. LANGUAGE – What is said? How is it said? What is not said?
4. SETTING – Where does it happen? When does it happen?
5. THEME / IDEA – So what?
 Comedy
Tragedy
Genres in
Drama Tragicomedy
Melodrama
 Comedy

 Funny, physical and energetic,

 The behaviour is ludicrous, sometimes absurd,
 Correction of behaviours acts as a mirror for society,
 Audience learns not to behave in ludicrous, absurd way,
 Types of comedy: situation, comedy of manners, farce,
sentimental, social comedy,
 Comic devices used: exaggeration, sarcasm, surprise,
wisecracks, incongruity.
Tragedy

 Serious in nature, something awful happens,

 Cause and effect relationships.
 Audience learns a lesson.
 Catharsis – moral purification in an audience that sees destructive role of
evil.
 Protagonist (main character):
- great person, admired, usually upper class birth, has a tragic flaw, often too
much proud or hubris.
- consciously suffers for the sake of his ideals (highly moral ideal)
- becomes self aware, takes responsibility for his own actions, accepts his
fate.
 Melodrama

 Focus on disaster, not tragedy.

 Strict moral judgements.
 Protagonist: usually a victim of
circumstance, always innocent, good
guys rewarded.
 Antagonist: anti-hero, causes the
suffering, bad guys punished.
 Exaggerated plot and characters.
 Examples: Soap operas, cartoons, some
silent films…
Tragicomedy

Mix of comedy and tragedy.

Most life-like of all of the genres.

Non judgmental, ends with no absolutes.

Focuses on characters’ relationships.

Shows society in a state of continuous

flux.