I know why the caged bird sings

Poem by Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream 
Till the current ends and dips his wing 
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage

Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill

Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams

His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with

A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom. 
 ACTIVITY
• Identify the conventions used
• Identify the subject in the poem “I
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and
and what it symbolizes or represents.
• Identify the theme
• Describe the tone of the writer
CONVENTIONS
AND ELEMENTS
DRAMA
Conventions of Traditional Literary Genres

Drama
• The act of play production
• Performed on stage, television, radio
and other flatform.
Drama
 Short plays consist of:
1. Act - part of a play defined by rising
action, climax and resolution.

2. Scene – part of an act marked out with

the changing or regrouping of
characters.
 Drama According to Length
1. Full Length Play – several acts
2. One-act Play
3. 10 minutes Play
FOUR BASIC ELEMENTS
OF DRAMATIC WRITING
 Four Basic Elements of Dramatic Writing

• Objective
• Obstacle
• Conflict
• Dramatic Action
Basic Elements of Dramatic Writing
1. OBJECTIVE
• Characters urgent want, need or desire

Example:
Desire for love
Basic Elements of Dramatic Writing
2. OBSTACLE
• Strong resistance or impediment
• Could be another character’s action, event,
situation
• Prevents the character from reaching his/her
desire
Basic Elements of Dramatic Writing
3. CONFLICT
• Begins when the character wants something
but there is an obstacle

Objective + obstacle = conflict

Basic Elements of Dramatic Writing
4. DRAMATIC ACTION
• Journey, events and happenings that the
character takes to actively seek his/her goal.
 Drama According to Theme
1. Tragedy
• Melodrama – intends to appeal to the emotions.
• Tragicomedy – containing elements of both tragedy
and comedy

2. Comedy
• Satire – exposing flaws of individual or government
for improvement
• Farce – uses slapstick humor
 Drama According to Modality
1. Closet Drama
2. Monodrama
3. Street Play
4. Puppet Play
5. Dance Drama
6. Shadow Play
7. Musical Play
 Drama According to Medium
1. Stage Play
2. Screen Play
3. Teleplay
4. Radio Play
 Let’s check you understanding!
• What is drama?
• What is the difference between play and
drama?
• What is the difference between act and
scene?
• What are the elements of a dramatic writing?
 Activity

Read the drama entitled “The

Wide Ionian Sea” written by Peter
Solis Nery, identify the elements of
drama present in the literary piece,
and answer the ‘Process
Questions’ (1-3).