Drama

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Drama

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What Is Drama?

A drama is a story enacted onstage for a live audience.

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What Is Drama?

Origins of Drama

The word drama comes from the Greek verb dran, which means “to do.”

The earliest known plays . . .

were written around the fifth century B.C.

produced for festivals to honor Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility

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Dramatic Structure

Like the plot of a story, the plot of a play involves characters who face a problem or conflict.

Climax

point of highest tension; action determines how the conflict will be resolved

Resolution

conflict is resolved;

play ends

Complications

tension builds

Exposition characters and conflict are introduced

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Dramatic Structure

Conflict is a struggle or clash between opposing characters or forces. A conflict may develop . . .

between characters who want different things or the same thing

between a character and his or her circumstances

within a character who is torn by competing desires

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Tragedy

A tragedy is a play that ends unhappily.

Tragedies pit human limitations against the larger forces of destiny.

right and wrong

justice and injustice

life and death

Most classic Greek tragedies deal with serious, universal themes such as

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The protagonist of most classical tragedies is a tragic hero. This hero

is noble and in many ways admirable

has a tragic flaw, a personal failing that leads to a tragic end

rebelliousness

jealousy

pride

Tragedy

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Comedy

A comedy is a play that ends happily. The plot usually centers on a romantic conflict.

boy meets girl

boy loses girl

boy wins girl

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The main characters in a comedy could be anyone:

nobility

servants

townspeople

Comedy

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Comic complications always occur before the conflict is resolved.

In most cases, the play ends with a wedding.

Comedy

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Modern Comedy