Introduction to Drama: Origins and Structure

• Drama is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance.
• It is one of the literary arts and often overlaps with theatrical performance.

Origins

• The word "drama" comes from the Greek word "δρᾶμα" (drâma), meaning "action".
• The earliest origins of drama are to be found in Athens where theatrical performances evolved out of religious rituals.
• These rituals celebrated Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility.
• Early drama was choral, with a chorus of performers singing and dancing.
• Over time, individual actors emerged from the chorus, leading to dialogue and character development.
• Thespis is credited with being the first actor to step out of the chorus.
• Key playwrights of ancient Greece include: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes.

Structure

• A play is typically divided into acts, which are further divided into scenes.
• Acts indicate a significant shift in the plot or setting.
• Scenes usually represent a continuous time and place.
• Dramatic action usually follows a structure that includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (denouement).
• Exposition introduces the characters, setting, and initial conflict.
• Rising action builds tension through a series of events.
• The climax is the point of highest tension.
• Falling action shows the consequences of the climax.
• Resolution resolves the conflict.

Genres

• Tragedy: Tragedy deals with serious and universal themes like suffering, morality, and the conflict between individual will and fate.
• Comedy: Comedy aims to amuse the audience through humor, satire, and lighthearted situations.
• Satire: Satire uses humor to expose and criticize follies, vices, and shortcomings in individuals or society.
• Farce: Farce relies on exaggerated situations, slapstick, and improbable events for humorous effect.
• Tragicomedy: Tragicomedy blends elements of both tragedy and comedy.
• Melodrama: Melodrama emphasizes exaggerated emotions and sensational events to create a strong emotional response from the audience.
• Historical drama: Historical drama is based on historical events and figures.
• Musical theatre: Musical theatre combines music, songs, spoken dialogue, and dance.

Elements of Drama

• Plot: The sequence of events that make up the story.
• Character: The individuals who participate in the action of the play.
• Dialogue: The conversation between characters.
• Spectacle: The visual elements of a play, including costumes, scenery, lighting, and special effects.
• Theme: The central idea or message of the play.
• Music/Rhythm: In some forms of drama, music and rhythm play a significant role.
• Stagecraft: The technical aspects of theatrical production including set design, lighting, sound, and costume.
• Acting: The art of embodying and performing a character.
• Directing: The art of guiding and shaping the performance to realize the play's vision.

Dramatic Techniques

• Dramatic Irony: The audience knows something that the characters do not.
• Aside: A character speaks directly to the audience, unheard by other characters on stage.
• Soliloquy: A character speaks their thoughts aloud, usually when alone on stage.
• Monologue: A long speech by a single character.
• Deus ex machina: A plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by the unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability or object.

Styles

• Realism: Realism seeks to depict life as it is, without idealization or romanticism.
• Naturalism: Naturalism is an extreme form of realism, emphasizing the influence of social and environmental forces on human behavior.
• Expressionism: Expressionism seeks to express subjective emotions and experiences through distorted and exaggerated means
• Absurdism: Absurdism explores the meaninglessness and irrationality of human existence.

Key Playwrights (Beyond the Greeks)

• William Shakespeare: Considered one of the most influential playwrights of all time, known for tragedies, comedies, and histories.
• Henrik Ibsen: A major figure in the development of modern realism.
• Anton Chekhov: Known for his realistic and character-driven plays.
• George Bernard Shaw: A master of wit and social commentary.
• Arthur Miller: Explored social and political themes.
• Tennessee Williams: Known for his poetic language and exploration of human desire.
• Eugene O'Neill: Explored dark and tragic themes.
• Samuel Beckett: A key figure in absurdist drama.
• Harold Pinter: Known for his use of pauses, ambiguity, and power dynamics.
• Caryl Churchill: A contemporary playwright known for her innovative and experimental works.

Dramatic Criticism

• Dramatic criticism involves analyzing and evaluating plays and theatrical performances.
• Different critical approaches can be used, such as analyzing the play's structure, themes, characters, language, and historical context.

Influence

• Drama has had a profound influence on literature, film, television, and other art forms.
• Dramatic techniques and conventions are used in various storytelling mediums to create engaging and meaningful experiences.

Explore drama as a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance. Learn about its origins in ancient Greece, evolving from religious rituals honoring Dionysus. Discover key playwrights and the structure of plays with acts and scenes.