UNDERSTANDING

DRAMA
WHAT IS DRAMA?

• Drama has some significant similarities to fiction. It is mainly the art of

depicting or portraying potential or imagined events and experiences.
Mainly, drama is best celebrated in theaters as scenes and situations are
presented and actors delivers lines on stage before an audience.
• As one reads the story, it is necessary to imagine the scene and the
characters as they speak their lines which can help the reader to have a
view of the entire scenario and events related to the flow of the story.
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS OF DRAMA:

1. Drama is basically a literature form intended to represent experiences through a theater performance. It
involves characters portrayed and impersonated by actors. Also, the performers imitate actions and
reproduce dialogue.
2. Drama, base on Aristotle’s Poetics, is the “imitation of an action”. This mainly points out that drama
imitates life but not one’s actual experiences but those which are perceived to be imagined experiences.
3. It is mainly an artistic depiction of how a writer’s views and sees life through the use of a conflict which
is significant to make the events interesting and the creation of characters that take part in the actions of
the story and are motivated by their needs and objectives.
4. A work of literature which considers series of events developed to be acted out or performed on stage,
with lines, actions, inactions, and silences which are all intended to be delivered and projected by the
characters to establish the impression that the events are lifelike before a crowd.
 ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF DRAMA
(FUMAR, 2009)
1. Drama as a form of Dramatic Art – Drama bears some emotional force or effect and vitality.
2. Drama as a form of Visual Art – Drama mainly involves the depiction of scenes and action on stage. Thus, to
make the depiction forceful and engaging, various elements are also used like lights, set design, images, and media
experiments.
3. Drama as an Auditory Art – The lines and silences delivered by the characters bear important dramatic impacts
that can make the performance much appealing and moving.
4. Drama is physically Produced Art – Playwrights can establish an intimate and very close connection to their
audience. The work can mainly touch and tap all the major senses.
5. Drama is a Spectacular Art – A dramatic work is always open to some necessary changes during rehearsals and
after the performance as may be revealed by reviews.
6. Drama is a Continuous Art – the audience must receive the story at any pace as the playwright may decide as to
whatever pace the play may be set.
HISTORY OF
DRAMA
Ancient religious ceremonies had been the viewed as the cradle of the earliest forms of
drama. In ancient Greece, Greek drama originated from rituals to venerate Dionysus,
the god of wine and fertility. In such ceremony, dancing of the chorus was introduced
and later on, the dialogue was added. An actor was also introduced among the singers
and dancers. Aeschylus and Sophocles added the second and third character
respectively.
English drama also started from religious rites and activities which mainly involved
mystery plays taken from the bible, miracle plays the lives of saints, morality plays,
tragedy, and dramatic history among others.
GENRES OF
DRAMA
 GENRES OF DRAMA
A. Tragedy – mainly depicts a very serious dramatic atmosphere; the lead character encounters misfortunate because fate, moral
weakness, or social opposition that may lead to a disastrous or catastrophic end involving physical or spiritual death or
breakdown.
B. Comedy – A literary composition intended to amuse the viewing crowd. In mainly presents human actions and behaviors
lightly. The characters encounter difficulties but later on, find happiness.
Types of Comedy
• Dark Comedy of Shakespeare – known to be in serious tone. This is classified as comedy since the story does not end in
death.
• High Comedy – which has an appeal to the sophisticated viewers. It is comedy employing sophisticated wit and often
satirizing the upper classes.
• Low Comedy – has broad humor and exhibits more general appeal
• Comedy of humors – also ascribed to as old comedy typically concerns and makes fun of individuals who view
themselves very important.
• Comedy of Manners or New Comedy – is more realistic and mainly satirical. It is primarily concerned with the intention
to ridicule the manners and behaviors of a higher social class.
 GENRES OF DRAMA
C. Tragicomedy – it combines the conventions of tragic and comic elements and despite tragic circumstances; the story
still ends happily. A serious play exhibiting some qualities of comedy. This can be a commentary on a society’s
unpleasant manners, behaviors, and practices that lead to laugher and a happy ending, yet discomfort is experienced in
sarcasm. This may challenge the audience to think why they need to laugh at something which is somewhat primarily
frightening.
D. Closet Drama – a written work or a play which is intended to be read, not performed on stage. It sometimes refers to works which are
unsuccessful in either theater and are perceived to be more enjoyable to read.

E. Farce – a comic drama in form and is primarily amusing and entertaining. Characters and scenes are mainly exaggerated.

F. Melodrama – usually accompanied with music and with a song set at as different pace. It is now seen as a romantic play without
serious, comic, or tragic significance. Actions are often too violent but still virtue dominates and succeeds.

G. Morality/Mystery Play – a Medieval play which is mainly allegorical; represents good and evil forces highlights the conflicts of the
human soul.

H. Miracle Plays – usually about stories taken from the Bible or the lives of saints.
ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
 ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

1. Setting – it pertains to the time and place of the action. It also covers the scenery and physical elements that transpire
on stage to depict the writer’s perspective as to stage design.
2. Characters – they are mainly the ones involved in the actions and situation in a story. As the conflict develops, the
characters are revealed. Their behaviors are revealed by their words, behaviors toward other characters, movements,
gestures, and ways on how they express their thoughts and feelings.
3. Plot - heavily refers to the action of a drama. It also involves the sequence of related events and scenes. The plot
greatly depends and lies on the conflict of the character.
4. Dialogue - the conversation and exchanges between or among characters it helps to tell the whole story. It is also an
element that helps reveal the characters, emotions, conflicts, further actions, and themes. Soliloquy is a speech of a
character to reveal personal thoughts allowed alone on-stage. An Aside is a short speech of a characters which is
directly addressed to the audience, not to the other characters performing on storage since they pretend of not hearing
it.
 ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

5. Movements – it mainly involves the pacing and transition of acts.

6. Music – this serves as the background used during performances. This is
somewhat used occasionally to establish a dramatic effect. This can be done live or
provided technically.
7. Theme – this tells what the play is about or the message the play attempts to
reveal. A play may convey a number of themes.