Elements of DramaElements of Drama

DramaDrama

Drama is a form of literature Drama is a form of literature designed to be performed in front of designed to be performed in front of an audience.an audience.

There are two main types of drama: There are two main types of drama: comedy and tragedy.comedy and tragedy.

Like fiction, dramatic works have a Like fiction, dramatic works have a plot, characters, setting, conflict, and plot, characters, setting, conflict, and one or more themes.one or more themes.

Act- a division within a play, much like Act- a division within a play, much like chapters of a novelchapters of a novel

Aside- lines that are spoken by a Aside- lines that are spoken by a character directly to the audiencecharacter directly to the audience

Cast of characters- a list of characters Cast of characters- a list of characters presented before the action beginspresented before the action begins

Chorus- a person or group of people Chorus- a person or group of people who act as a narrator, commentator, or who act as a narrator, commentator, or general audience to the action of the general audience to the action of the playplay

Comedy- a humorous work of dramaComedy- a humorous work of dramaDialogue- conversation between two Dialogue- conversation between two

or more charactersor more charactersFoil- a character who is nearly Foil- a character who is nearly

opposite of another character; the opposite of another character; the purpose of a foil is to reveal a stark purpose of a foil is to reveal a stark contrast between the two characters, contrast between the two characters, often the protagonist and antagonistoften the protagonist and antagonist

Monologue- a long speech spoken by Monologue- a long speech spoken by a character to himself, another a character to himself, another character, or to the audiencecharacter, or to the audience

Scene- a division of an act into Scene- a division of an act into smaller partssmaller parts

Soliloquy- thoughts spoken aloud by Soliloquy- thoughts spoken aloud by a character when he/she is alone, or a character when he/she is alone, or thinks he/she is alonethinks he/she is alone

Stage directions- italicized comments Stage directions- italicized comments that identify parts of the setting or that identify parts of the setting or the use of props or costumes, give the use of props or costumes, give further information about a further information about a character, or provide background character, or provide background informationinformation

Tragedy- a serious work of drama in Tragedy- a serious work of drama in which the hero suffers catastrophe or which the hero suffers catastrophe or serious misfortune, usually because serious misfortune, usually because of his own actionsof his own actions

Tragic hero- a protagonist with a Tragic hero- a protagonist with a fatal flaw which eventually leads to fatal flaw which eventually leads to his demisehis demise

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare

William was born to a wealthy William was born to a wealthy business owner named John and his business owner named John and his wife was named Mary.wife was named Mary.

William was born on April 23, 1564.William was born on April 23, 1564.They lived in Stratford-upon-Avon in They lived in Stratford-upon-Avon in

England. England. Shakespeare began his education at Shakespeare began his education at

the age of six or seven at the the age of six or seven at the Stratford grammar school.Stratford grammar school.

Shakespeare was taken out of school at Shakespeare was taken out of school at the age of 13 due to his father’s financial the age of 13 due to his father’s financial problems.problems.

The events of his life between the ages of The events of his life between the ages of the age of thirteen and when he emerged the age of thirteen and when he emerged in London as an actor, is generally in London as an actor, is generally unknown. unknown.

At age 18 in 1596 he married Anne At age 18 in 1596 he married Anne Hathaway, who was eight years older than Hathaway, who was eight years older than him and pregnant at the time. him and pregnant at the time.

They had three children, Susanna They had three children, Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith.and twins Hamnet and Judith.

In London, he acted and served as a In London, he acted and served as a reviser and writer of plays.reviser and writer of plays.

At 28, he began to impress his At 28, he began to impress his contemporaries with the quality and contemporaries with the quality and popularity of his work. popularity of his work.

Shakespeare acted with several Shakespeare acted with several companies including the companies including the Chamberlain’s Men who provided Chamberlain’s Men who provided entertainment for the Royal Court.entertainment for the Royal Court.

Shakespeare lived a comfortable life, Shakespeare lived a comfortable life, buying one of the largest homes in buying one of the largest homes in Stratford. Stratford.

He was a well-known landowner He was a well-known landowner whose estate included farmland, whose estate included farmland, pasture, and gardens.pasture, and gardens.

He also became part-owner of the He also became part-owner of the most popular theatre in London, the most popular theatre in London, the Globe Theatre. Globe Theatre.

Shakespeare died at home on April Shakespeare died at home on April 23 in 1616. 23 in 1616.

Within a few years of Shakespeare’s Within a few years of Shakespeare’s death, a monument to him was death, a monument to him was erected and placed on the north wall erected and placed on the north wall of Westminster Abbey in London.of Westminster Abbey in London.

Literary TechniquesLiterary Techniques

Allusion- a literary reference to a well-Allusion- a literary reference to a well-known work of art, music, history or known work of art, music, history or literature literature

Blank-verse- non-rhyming poetry, usually Blank-verse- non-rhyming poetry, usually written in iambic pentameter, most of written in iambic pentameter, most of Shakespeare’s plays are written in this Shakespeare’s plays are written in this formform

Comic relief- in a tragedy, a break in the Comic relief- in a tragedy, a break in the seriousness for a moment of comedy or seriousness for a moment of comedy or sillinesssilliness

Double entendre- a word or phrase with Double entendre- a word or phrase with more than one meaning, usually when the more than one meaning, usually when the second meaning is risquésecond meaning is risqué

Dramatic irony- when the audience or Dramatic irony- when the audience or reader knows something that the reader knows something that the characters in the story do not knowcharacters in the story do not know

Euphemism- a substitution of a more Euphemism- a substitution of a more pleasant expression for one whose pleasant expression for one whose meaning may come across as rude or meaning may come across as rude or offensive offensive

Iambic pentameter- a 10-syllable line Iambic pentameter- a 10-syllable line divided into 5 iambic feet (one divided into 5 iambic feet (one unstressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable)stressed syllable)

Prose- normal speech rhythm Prose- normal speech rhythm

Appreciating Shakespeare’s Appreciating Shakespeare’s LanguageLanguage

Shakespeare used an extensive array of Shakespeare used an extensive array of vocabularyvocabulary, including , including archaic languagearchaic language, , an an unfamiliar grammatical structureunfamiliar grammatical structure, , and a “and a “backwardbackward” ” arrangementarrangement of of words in his sonnets and plays. words in his sonnets and plays.

The trick to reading Shakespeare’s works The trick to reading Shakespeare’s works is to try to get the idea or “gist” of what is to try to get the idea or “gist” of what the characters are saying, rather than the characters are saying, rather than trying to figure out what every single word trying to figure out what every single word means.means.

VocabularyVocabulary

Remember that Shakespeare was an Remember that Shakespeare was an artist and his words were his tools.artist and his words were his tools.

Shakespeare had a vocabulary of Shakespeare had a vocabulary of about 29,000 words: almost twice that about 29,000 words: almost twice that of an American college student today.of an American college student today.

Words such as dwindle and Words such as dwindle and assassination are actually assassination are actually Shakespeare’s invention and had Shakespeare’s invention and had never been used before him.never been used before him.

Words, Words, WordsWords, Words, Words

Shakespeare liked to use words in clever Shakespeare liked to use words in clever ways and often in strange order. ways and often in strange order.

Translate the following lines into Modern Translate the following lines into Modern English. Remember Shakespeare often English. Remember Shakespeare often rearranged wording or left out words in a rearranged wording or left out words in a sentence to make the rhythm fit iambic sentence to make the rhythm fit iambic pentameter.pentameter. ““Why call you for a sword?”Why call you for a sword?” ““Come you this afternoon.”Come you this afternoon.” ““Fear me not.”Fear me not.”

““Saw you him today?”Saw you him today?”““Right glad I am he was not at this Right glad I am he was not at this

fray.”fray.”““Dost thou not laugh?”Dost thou not laugh?”