Post on 03-Apr-2018
transcript
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Introduction to Drama
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What is Drama?
Drama is a type of literature that isprimarily written to be performed for anaudience. When reading a play, it is
important to keep certain features ofdrama in mind. Some of these featuresrelate to drama as literature; others reflect
its character as a performance.
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History
Greek Drama 500-400 B.C.
Medieval: The Middle Ages 1200-1500 AD
Elizabethan & Jacobean 1500-1642 Restoration & 18th Cent. Drama 1660-1800
Romantic Era 1800-1880
Modern Era 1850-Present
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Types of Drama- Tragedy
Tragedy: A play in which themain character experiencesdisaster, but faces this downfallin such a way as to attain
heroic stature.* Even though Tragedies are
gloomy they are triumphant,because they inspire exaltation
at the greatness human beingscan attain even in defeat.
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Comedy
Comedy closes with apeaceful resolution of themain conflict.*High Comedy: The humor
arises from subtlecharacterization, socialsatire, and sophisticated wit.
Low Comedy: Emphasizes
absurd dialogue, bawdyjokes, visual gags, andphysical humor.*
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Types of Comedy
Romantic Comedy: The main charactersare lovers, and the plot tends to follow thepattern of boy gets girl, boy loses girl,
boy gets girl again. Satiric Comedy: Uses humor to ridicule
foolish ideas or customs with the purposeof improving society. Comedy of Manners: Satirizes the vices and
follies of the upper class.*
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Additional Forms of Drama
Farce: Relies on exaggeration, absurdity,and slapstick
Straight Drama or Drama: Deal withserious subjects, but do not always end indisaster.
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Elements of Drama
External Conflict: Pits a character against natureor fate, society, or another character
Internal conflict: Between opposing forces
within a character. Protagonist: The central character of the play
and often undergoes radical changes as theaction progresses.*
Antagonist: The character who opposes themain character*
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Foil: A minor character whose traitscontrast sharply with those of the
protagonist Dialogue: Conversations between
characters
Monologue: A long speech spoken by asingle character to himself or herself, or tothe audience
Soliloquy: A monologue in which acharacter speaks his or her privatethoughts aloud and appears to beunaware of the audience.
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Aside: a short speech or commentdelivered by a character to the audience,
but unheard by the other characters whoare present.
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Conventions of Drama
Cast of Characters: listed in the beginningof the play, before the action starts.
Act: a major division of a play
Scenes: Major division of an act
Stage Directions: a dramatists
instructions for performing a play.
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Protagonist
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Antagonist
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