Elements of Drama PDF

# Creative Writing ## Lesson Objectives - Define drama. - Identify the elements and techniques in drama based on their definition. - Develop a sense of appreciation for drama as a literary genre. ## Drama It is defined as a piece of literature whose intended purpose is to be performed in fron...

# Creative Writing ## Lesson Objectives - Define drama. - Identify the elements and techniques in drama based on their definition. - Develop a sense of appreciation for drama as a literary genre. ## Drama It is defined as a piece of literature whose intended purpose is to be performed in front of an audience at a theater. ## Elements of Drama - **Script**: The written pages of a play. It is divided into acts and scenes. - **Acts**: These are long sections of a play, made up of multiple scenes, usually designed to separate the play into its main parts and to give the audience a "break" from the performance. - **Scenes**: These are shorter sections of a play, usually each scene occurs in one location at a specific time. Multiple scenes make up an act. - **Set**: The construction on the stage that shows the time and place. Examples are provided of a real set, a miniature set, and a more abstract set of a play. - **Props**: Items used onstage by actors. Examples are provided of a puppeteered animal, a set table, and a set for a "play" where props are the main focus. - **Dramatic Speech**: There are 3 types of dramatic speech: - **Dialogue**: Used when two or more people talking. - **Monologue**: Used when one person is talking. - **Soliloquy**: When one person is speaking his/her thoughts out loud for the audience. - **Stage Directions**: These are found in brackets or parenthesis and describe the scenery, action, and how characters speak. - **Conflict**: The internal or external struggle that creates dramatic tension. - **Characterization**: The playwright's technique for revealing the personality of a character. This can be done directly or indirectly. - **Plot**: The series of events that make up the story. ## Literary Techniques These are tools that an author may choose to use to enhance their writing and to convey meaning. - **Flashback**: An author reveals an event that took place in the past. - **Foil**: A character that is meant to represent characteristics, values, or ideas that are opposite to another character, usually the protagonist. - **Foreshadowing**: When the author gives hints or clues to suggest what will happen as the story progresses. - **Symbolism**: When a symbol, such as an object, color, person, or place, is used to represent an abstract idea or concept. Examples are provided of a rose (love and beauty), and a dove (peace). - **Motif**: A recurring important idea, structure, or image. It differs from a theme because it can be expressed as a single word or phrase. An example is the use of stages of life to represent seasons of the year. ## Performance Task #1 This task requires students to create a drama using the knowledge they gained in the lesson. The requirements are: - Literary Techniques - Characters - Title - Plot - Type of Drama