Scribd
Upload
306 views34 pages

Unit 3 Lesson 1

This document provides an overview of drama as a literary genre. It defines drama as the portrayal of events through written dialogue that is meant to be performed. It discusses different types of drama like comedy, tragedy, and melodrama. It also outlines the typical plot structure of drama, including exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Finally, it lists several dramatic elements that playwrights can use like protagonists, antagonists, soliloquies, and revelations.

Uploaded by

Norienne Teodoro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
306 views34 pages

Unit 3 Lesson 1

This document provides an overview of drama as a literary genre. It defines drama as the portrayal of events through written dialogue that is meant to be performed. It discusses different types of drama like comedy, tragedy, and melodrama. It also outlines the typical plot structure of drama, including exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Finally, it lists several dramatic elements that playwrights can use like protagonists, antagonists, soliloquies, and revelations.

Uploaded by

Norienne Teodoro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 34

UNIT 3: WRITING

DRAMA
How is Drama
different from Fiction?
What is Drama?
In literature, a drama is the portrayal of
fictional or non-fictional events through
the performance of written dialogue (either
prose or poetry).

Dramas can be performed on stage, on


film, or the radio. Dramas are typically
called plays, and their creators are known as
“playwrights” or “dramatists.” 
What is Drama?
Performed since the days of Aristotle (c.
335 BCE), the term “drama” comes from
the Greek words δρᾶμα (an act, a
play) and δράω (to act, to take action). The
two iconic masks of drama—the laughing
face and the crying face—are the symbols
of two of the ancient Greek Muses:
Thalia, the Muse of comedy and
Melpomene, the Muse of tragedy.
Types of Drama
Dramatic performances are generally classified into specific categories according
to the mood, tone, and actions depicted in the plot. Some popular types of drama
include:
 Comedy: Lighter in tone, comedies are intended to make the audience laugh
and usually come to a happy ending. Comedies place offbeat characters in
unusual situations causing them to do and say funny things. Comedy can also
be sarcastic in nature, poking fun at serious topics. 
 Tragedy: Based on darker themes, tragedies portray serious subjects like
death, disaster, and human suffering in a dignified and thought-provoking way.
Types of Drama
 Farce: Featuring exaggerated or absurd forms of comedy, a
farce is a nonsensical genre of drama in which characters
intentionally overact and engage in slapstick or physical
humor.
 Melodrama: An exaggerated form of drama, melodramas
depict classic one-dimensional characters such as heroes,
heroines, and villains dealing with sensational, romantic, and
often perilous situations. Sometimes called “tearjerkers.”
Types of Drama
 Opera: This versatile genre of drama combines theater,
dialogue, music, and dance to tell grand stories of tragedy or
comedy. Since characters express their feelings and intentions
through song rather than dialogue.
 Docudrama: A relatively new genre, docudramas are dramatic
portrayals of historic events or non-fictional situations. More
often presented in movies and television than in live theater.
LESSON 1:
Plot and Dramatic
Structure
PLOT AND DRAMATIC STRUCTURE

The physical format of play is divided into major divisions or acts. A three-act play
has three acts, showcasing a fuller and longer exposition of the theme and conflict
while a one-act play has one unit of time, one unit of place, and one unit of action.
Just like in a prose narrative, the plot of a drama revolves around a conflict:
a) person versus himself/herself;
b) person versus another person;
c) person versus group/society;
d) person versus nature/environment; or
e) person versus God/universe.
Although plays are written in several forms and formats, a typical structure consists
of the following:

• Exposition and Introduction


• Conflict
• Rising Action or Compilation
• Falling Action
• Denouement or Resolution
1. Exposition
• This is also sometimes called the status quo. When the play
opens, you are introduced to the characters and the setting is
established.
• Sometimes, the intro right away begins with the conflict (in
medias res). Whatever the structure of the play, the opening
scene establishes the circumstances that involve the characters to
the conflict and sets the tone of the play.
2. Conflict
• This is the point where you recognize the threat or challenge that
besets the protagonist (main character).
• Sometimes referred to as the exciting force that launches the
rising action of a play.
The following list of the common conflicts used in plays:

1. Conflict between a person or another person


2. Conflict between one person and a group or society
3. Conflict between a person and environment or nature
4. Conflict between a person and God or the universe
5. Conflict between a person and himself/herself
Example:
3. Rising Action or Complication

• As immediately as the conflict sets the action in motion, the play figures
a dramatic tension that builds up toward a confrontation.
• This dramatic tension fluctuates, providing emotional tension between
characters, and the audience learn something about them that weren’t
provided in the introduction and conflict.
• The conflict gets more complicated.
4. Turning Point, Climax or Crisis

• This is the highest point where the protagonist comes face to face
with and struggles against the main conflict and we, the
audience, are kept at the edge of our seat.
• Will the protagonist come out successful, or will he or she be
beaten by the conflict?
5. Falling Action

• This is more fleeting and short-lived than the rising action, but
may still cover some gripping moments in the play.

• This part gives the audience a sense of conclusion, with several


unsettled questions at work within the plot, giving some sense of
resolution to the play.
6. Denouement or Resolution

• This is the concluding part or ending of the play.


• We see in this part whether the protagonist has
won or lost, order is brought back, and problems
are resolved.
STRUCTURAL FACTORS
• How the structure is utilized by the playwright is dependent on various factors.
Among these are:

1 2 3 4 5
The length of The intended The use of The settings The genre of
the play audience dramatic the play
elements
Dramatic
Elements
A playwrights understanding of structure
is not complete without a sense
awareness if the many techniques and
devices- dramatic elements- available to
create a various effects. Here are a few:
Action – It is what the characters say or do to achieve their
objectives.

Antagonist – It is the character or situation that stands against


the protagonist.

Arc – Sometimes called spine or through line, it is the play’s


storyline – what the audience wants to find out.

Aside – When actor speaks directly to the audience, the other actors
on stage are supposedly unable to hear what he/she says.
Backstory- it pertains to the events that happened in the past.

Complications- These are the ones that cause conflicts with the
introduction of new characters, information or events.

Conflict- it pertains to the problem caused by the opposing


objectives of the protagonist and the antagonist.

Deus ex machina- it refers to the Greek practice of physically


lowering a “god” to the stage at the end of the play to solve all
the problems.
Discovery- achieved when the main character finally realizes the
reality of the situation.

Double Plots- refers to the use of a subplot or second plot in


weaving in and out of the main plot.

Dramatic Convention- it is what the audience is willing to


accept as real for the sake of the story.

Flashback- refers to the description of enactment of past events


for the purpose of clarifying the situation, usually as it relates to
the conflict.
Foreshadowing- it is the use of hints at the future in order to
build anticipation in the audience.

Inciting incident- refers to the event that launches the


protagonist and gets the plot going.

In medias res- refers to the opening scene in the middle of the


actions.

Intrigue- pertains to a scheme designed by one of the


characters. The success of this scheme depends on another
character’s innocence or ignorance of the situation.
Music- it is a mainstay of the musical drama.

Monologue- It is an actor’s speech delivery in the presence of


other characters who do not speak but listen.

Protagonist- It is the main character of the story. He or she is the


character with a mission or is involved in a quest.

Reversal- happens when the main character either fails of


succeeds. It is also called peripety.
Soliloquy- a speech delivered by an
Scenes- are portions of an act.
actor when he or she is alone to
express thoughts.
Stakes- are what the
characters stand to gain or lose Surprise- is something that
if they succeed or fail. happens out of the audience’s
expectation.
Suspense- consists of events
that create a sense of
Three units- unit of action; unity of
uncertainty concerning what
place (single location) and unity of
will happen to the
time (play portraying no longer
characters.
than 24-hr period.

You might also like