COMPONENTS OF DRAMA

English 2

ACT

A major unit of a drama, or play. A play may be subdivided into several acts. Many modern plays have one, two, or three acts. Older dramas often have five acts. Acts may be divided into one or more scenes.

COMEDY

A type of drama that is humorous and often has a happy ending.

FARCE

A type of comedic play using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.

*It takes stereotypes to the extreme in order to be ridiculous

TRAGEDY

A play in which a main character suffers a downfall. The downfall may result from outside forces or from a weakness within the character.

TRAGIC HERO

The main character in a tragedy. Often he/she is a person of dignified or heroic stature. The weakness within this character is known as the tragic flaw.

Obviously…..the tragic hero in Antigone is………….Antigone. Why? What was her tragic flaw?

DIALOGUE

Conversation between characters in a literary work. Dialogue can contribute to characterization, create mood, advance the plot and develop theme.

SCENE

A subdivision of an act in a play. Each scene usually takes place in a specific setting and time.

SCRIPT

The text of a drama (play), film or broadcast.

STAGE DIRECTIONS

Instructions written by a playwright to describe the appearance and actions of characters as well as the sets, props, costumes, sound effects and lighting for a play.

MONOLOGUE

A long speech by a character in a literary work, especially a drama.

SOLILOQUY

In a drama, a long speech by a character who is alone on stage (or is under the impression of being alone). A soliloquy reveals the private thoughts and emotions of that character.

ASIDE

a remark or passage by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play

PLOT

The sequence of events in a story, play, or narrative poem. A plot revolves around a central conflict faced by the main characters.

CONFLICT

The problem faced by the main characters in a play.

EXTERNAL CONFLICT

This exists when a character struggles against some outside force, such as another person, nature, society, or fate.

INTERNAL CONFLICT

This exists within the mind of a character who is torn between opposing feelings or goals.

PLOT

Don’t forget!

Just like any story or narrative poem, a play will follow a basic plot diagram pattern….

1. Exposition (Introduction)

2. Rising Action

3. Climax (the point of highest emotional intensity)

4. Falling Action

5. Resolution (Denouement)

STATED THEME

A theme which is expressed directly in a work of literature.

IMPLIED THEME

A theme that is revealed gradually through elements such as plot, character, setting, point of view, symbol and irony.

MOTIF

Motif is an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work

WHAT ARE THE MOTIFS IN “A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL?”The use of “DEAR” – the author is making the point that the characters are making a show of being considerate of one another, all the while they are actually being very rude to one another by accusing each other of petty things.

The use of the characters formal names – again, the author is making a point of the characters being outwardly polite, but in all actuality the characters are being anything but polite to one another…..

Lomov’s hypochondric concern over his heart. A heart represents the seat of the emotions, and it could be interpreted that his love is breaking all the way through the play. This adds to the dramatic irony since the audience is aware that Lomov is not actually in love with Natalia.

IRONY

A figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It may also be a situation that may end up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a difference between the appearance and the reality.

There are 3 different types of IRONY –

1. Situational – when the situation itself is ironic...when a student chuckles at someone else for failing a quiz, without realizing that they themselves failed the same quiz. The key in situational irony is a reversal of what was expected versus what actually happens.

2. Verbal – when someone says something that they do not mean….for example, in response to a foolish idea, we say, “what a great idea!”

3. Dramatic – this is used in literature (but not in real life) In dramatic irony, the characters are oblivious of the situation but the audience is not. For example, in “Romeo and Juliet”, we know much before the characters that they are going to die.

***For a great definition of irony – check out http://theoatmeal.com/comics/irony

EXAMPLES OF DRAMATIC IRONY In Antigone, when the audience knows that Antigone will kill herself once in the tomb, but Creon (thinking that she is still alive within the stone vault goes to ‘rescue’ her) – only to end up finding a dead Antigone and witness his grieving son commit suicide…this is dramatic irony.

In “A Marriage Proposal,” when Lomov comes to propose, Chubokov blesses the marriage….only to have Natalia start a fight with Lomov and drive him away….the audience knows Lomov’s true purpose, but Natalia does not…..this is dramatic irony.