INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA
UNIT 4
DRAMA
 Drama: composition in prose form that presents a story entirely told in dialogue and action, and written with
the intention of its eventual performance before an audience.
 Remember, both literature and theater can be classified as drama.
 There are several types of drama, but we will focus on two types.
TYPES OF DRAMA
Tragedy
 A type of drama where characters experience
misfortune.
 Catastrophe and suffering await many of the
characters, especially the main characters.
Comedy
 A type of drama where characters experience
misfortune, but in a funny way,
 Things work out happily in the end.
 Can be characterized as romantic or satiric.
 Romantic: has a tone of tolerance or warmth.
 Satiric: portrays a darker image of human nature or
points our human follies.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: PLOT
 Plot: is the form and structure of the action and the arrangement of incidents in a story or play.
 Plot is the only aspect of the story which takes place on stage and which is revealed to the audience through
dramatic action and dialogue of the characters.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: CHARACTERS
 Character: a person, animal or entity in a story.
 The hopes and struggles of the characters drive the plot.
 Like prose, the different character types apply.

Protagonist/antagonist

Main/Minor

Round/Flat

Dynamic/Static

Foils

Comic Relief
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: SETTING
 Setting: is the time and place the events occur.
 In drama the setting is usually revealed in preliminary descriptions.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: THEME
 Theme: statement of life the story or play is trying to make.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: IRONY
 Drama has two types of irony:

Irony: the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or
emphatic effect.

Dramatic irony: a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character's words
or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: SYMBOL
 Symbol: a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something
abstract.
 In drama look for names, actions, and objects as symbols.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA: STYLE
 Style: mode of expression or presentation of the play which points out the playwright’s position or viewpoint on
life.
WHAT MAKES DRAMA DIFFERENT THAN PROSE?
 Although drama shares many similarities with prose, it also differs in many ways.
 Dramas/Plays include:

A script: written text of the play.

Props: things, or items, that the actors/characters use to play their part.

Stage directions: directs the characters in how to act and show their feelings.

Speeches
SPEECHES IN DRAMA
 Drama has a few different types of speeches that the characters typically use to provide more drama, or humor,
to the story and play.
 These include:

Dialogue

Monologue

Soliloquy

Aside
SPEECHES IN DRAMA: DIALOGUE
 Dialogue: conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or movie.
SPEECHES IN DRAMA: MONOLOGUE
 Monologue: a speech made by one character in a play, usually as a part of dialogue with another character.
SPEECHES IN DRAMA: SOLILOQUY
 Soliloquy: a long speech expressing a character's thoughts; character is alone on stage.
 Think of these as a character’s private thoughts that the reader, or audience gets to hear.
SPEECHES IN DRAMA: ASIDE
 Aside: a short speech delivered by an actor expressing a character's thoughts; directed to an audience.
THE GLOBE THEATER
HISTORY
 In 1586 actor-manager James Burbage built The Globe Theatre in the east end of London.
 After James Burbage died his sons Cuthbert and Richard, offered some members of the company shares in the
building.
 Shakespeare was one of four actors who bought a share in the Globe.
 By early 1599 the theatre was up and running and for 14 years it thrived, presenting many of Shakespeare’s
greatest plays.
Info found at shakespearesglobe.com
THE GLOBE TODAY
 The project to rebuild Shakespeare’s Globe was initiated by the American actor, director and producer Sam
Wanamaker after his first visit to London in 1949.
 Other than concessions, additional exits to comply with modern day fire regulations have been added, as well as
illuminated signage, fire retardant materials and some modern backstage machinery.
 The Globe is as accurate a reconstruction of the 1599 Globe as was possible with the available evidence.
 If you visit London you can still attend famous Shakespeare plays at the Globe!