drama

1. What are the main features to consider when analysing drama?

When analyzing drama, key features to consider include:

• Plot: The sequence of events that unfold in the play.
• Characters: The individuals who carry out the actions and engage with one another.
• Setting: The time and place where the drama occurs.
• Dialogue: The spoken words between characters, revealing their thoughts and advancing the plot.
• Conflict: The central struggle that drives the plot forward.
• Theme: The underlying messages or ideas explored in the drama.
• Dramatic Structure: The way the play is organized, including acts and scenes.
• Stagecraft: The physical aspects of the performance, such as lighting, props, and costume design.

2. Describe the model of communication in drama (p. 91). How is it different from the general model of literary communication?

In drama, the model of communication involves the speaker (actor), the audience, and the text (the dialogue or script). The actor performs the dialogue, and the audience interprets and reacts to it. Unlike the traditional literary communication model, which involves the author, the text, and the reader, drama adds the performer and the live audience as active participants in the communication process. This creates a dynamic relationship where the performance is directly influenced by the actors' interpretation and the audience's reaction.

3. What is the purpose of creating an alienation/estrangement effect? Who came up with this idea?

The alienation (or estrangement) effect was developed by German playwright Bertolt Brecht. Its purpose is to make the audience critically aware of the artificiality of the play, preventing them from getting too emotionally involved. This allows them to think critically about the issues presented in the play. Brecht used techniques like breaking the fourth wall, using minimalistic staging, and having actors address the audience directly to achieve this effect.

4. What is dramatic irony? Can you give an example of dramatic irony? Use examples from the textbook or your own.

Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters in the play do not. This creates tension as the audience anticipates the moment when the characters will realize the truth.

• Example: In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows that Juliet is not truly dead, but Romeo believes she is and kills himself. This knowledge creates dramatic irony and heightens the tragic outcome.

5. What are the three unities in drama? Who came up with this concept?

The three unities, developed by the French philosopher Aristotle, are:

• Unity of Action: A play should have one main plot or action.
• Unity of Time: The events of the play should occur within a 24-hour period.
• Unity of Place: The play should take place in one location or setting. These unities were part of the classical tradition and were later adopted by playwrights such as Jean Racine in France.

6. What is Freytag’s pyramid?

Freytag’s pyramid is a structure that outlines the typical progression of events in a play:

• Exposition: Introduction of characters, setting, and conflict.
• Rising Action: The development of the conflict.
• Climax: The turning point or peak of tension in the play.
• Falling Action: The consequences of the climax.
• Denouement: The resolution or conclusion of the play.

7. What was the Theatre of the Absurd? When did it appear? Who was one of its main representatives? How does it differ from traditional drama?

The Theatre of the Absurd emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, with playwrights like Samuel Beckett being one of its most famous figures. It focuses on the absurdity of the human condition, presenting characters who struggle with meaninglessness, isolation, and a lack of communication. Unlike traditional drama, it often eschews coherent plots, logical dialogue, and clear resolutions. Waiting for Godot by Beckett is a key example.

8. What techniques are used to manipulate duration in drama? Compare them to the techniques used in prose.

Compression: Dramatic time may be condensed (e.g., hours or days pass within minutes on stage).

Expansion: Some moments are extended for effect, such as long pauses.

Non-linear narrative: Flashbacks, flash-forwards, or parallel scenes.

In prose, similar techniques exist, but they are often more fluid and less bound by the need for performance time.

9. What are the different ways in which the plot of a play can be ordered? Compare them to the techniques used in prose.

  Linear plot: Events happen in chronological order (similar to many novels).

  Non-linear plot: Events are presented out of order (common in both modern drama and some experimental novels).

  Circular plot: The plot ends where it began, creating a sense of inevitability or futility.

10. What techniques of characterization are used in drama? Compare them to the techniques used in prose.

  In drama, characterization is often achieved through dialogue, stage directions, and actor performance (such as body language and tone of voice).

  In prose, characterization may rely more on internal monologue, description, and narrative voice to give insight into a character’s thoughts and emotions.

11. What are character constellation and character configuration? What is the difference between them?

  Character constellation refers to the way a group of characters interacts within a play or story, where the relationships between characters create a dynamic.

  Character configuration is the specific arrangement of characters in a play, focusing on how characters' traits and roles fit together within the narrative.

12. Look at the classification of different types of stages. Is there any historical or architectural reason for their different shapes?

Different stage shapes are based on historical and architectural developments.

• Proscenium stages (classic, front-facing) were developed for large, formal theaters with a focus on visual spectacle.
• Thrust stages (extended into the audience) evolved for more intimate performances, allowing the audience to surround the stage.
• Arena stages (in-the-round) originated from ancient open-air theaters and modernized for immersive performances.

13. What are the two main genres of drama? Who came up with this classification? Name some subgenres of each of the two main genres and describe them.

The two main genres of drama are tragedy and comedy, first classified by Aristotle:

• Tragedy: Deals with serious, often sorrowful themes and ends with the downfall of the main character (e.g., Oedipus Rex, Hamlet).
• Comedy: Focuses on humorous themes, usually ending in a happy resolution (e.g., A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest).

Subgenres:

• Tragedy: Modern tragedy, Historical tragedy.
• Comedy: Satire, Farce, Romantic comedy.

Define!

PRIMARY/SECONDARY TEXT

A primary text is the original work (e.g., a play or novel), while a secondary text is a piece of writing that analyzes or comments on the primary text (e.g., a critique or analysis).

EXPOSITION

The introductory part of a play where background information, setting, and characters are introduced.

EPIC THEATRE

A style of theatre associated with Bertolt Brecht, focusing on creating critical distance in the audience, often through techniques like alienation.

ASIDE

A short remark made by a character that is meant to be heard by the audience but not by the other characters.

STORY v. PLOT

The story refers to the events in the order they occur, while the plot is the way these events are arranged and presented in the play.

MIMESIS

The imitation of life in art or literature.

CLOSED/OPEN STRUCTURE

Closed structure refers to a play with a well-defined beginning, middle, and end, while open structure allows for more ambiguity or openness in the narrative.

POETIC JUSTICE

The concept that virtue is rewarded and vice is punished, often in a way that is fitting or ironic.

MONOLOGUE/DIALOGUE/SOLILOQUY

Monologue: A long speech by one character.

Dialogue: A conversation between two or more characters.

Soliloquy: A speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, often when alone.

STICHOMYTIA/REPARTEE

Stichomythia: A dialogue form featuring rapid exchanges of single lines between characters.

Repartee: Quick, witty exchange between characters.

CATHARSIS

The emotional release experienced by the audience, particularly in tragedies, when they experience pity and fear.