Elements of Drama

Elements of drama
Act- the major division in a play which is divided into smaller units called “scenes”

Scene- dramatic sequence that takes place in a in a single locale on the stage. The sub- division in a play.

Exposition- The authorial discussion to explain or summarize backgorund material instead of revealing information within the narrative

Conflict- opposition between two characters, large groups of people, the

protagonist and a larger problem wihin a play, novel or short story.

Complication- the instensification of the conflict within a play or novel

Climax- the moment in a play, short story, novel, or narrative poem that the conflict reaches it’s peak or to it’s greatest intensity.

Denouncement- the outcome or result of a complex situation or can known as a sequence of events that contains an aftermath and a resolution.

Peripeteia- a sudden reversal or change in circumstance within a play, novel etc.

Characterization- a descrpitive dialogue, dialect and action that is used to makTragiccharacter more vivid and realstic the the reader.

Protagonist and antagonist- the protagonist is the main or central character within a story while the antagonist is the secondary character who opposes and challenges the protagonist

Main plot and sub plot- the main plot with in a litaray work is the structure and relationship of actions and events that occur. The sub plot of the secondary strand of the plot that is the side story against the main plot.
A plot is an account of the ACTION and all of the motivations lying behind the action in a literary work
Forms of drama
Comedy- a light and humerous play, novel, short story that has a happy ending.

History- a play ornovel taking place within midevil times or past events

Tragedy- story in which the main character suffers immensly as a consequence of moral weakness or having the inablitiy to deal with unfavourable circumstances.
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Romance – a prose narrative of exploits of heros remote in time and place often exotic or mysterious settings

Tragic Comedy – a literary genre that blends both tragedy and comedy to lighten the mood withing a literary work.
Theater of the Absurd – a drama that emphasizes the absurdity of human existence. This is done by disjointed, repetitious, and meaningless dialogue, as well as purposeless and confusing situations, and plots lacking in realistic and logical development
Satire- used by writer to criticize foolishness and corruption of an idividual or society using humor, exaggeration or riducle

Farce - a comedy that is entertaining through over exaggeration, extravagance and thus improbable  
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Modern Drama- theatrical plays written in the 19th and 20th centuries

Melodrama- a dramatic or literary work in the plot that is sensational and made to be appealing to strong emotions, as well as taking precedence over detailed characterization


Features of drama
Monologue- dramatic monologue is a speech addressed by a character in second person. A soliloquy is a monologue where the character addresses the audience or speaks his thoughts while alone.
Dialogue- lines that are spoken by characters in a play, essay, or novel. This happens especially in a conversation between two characters or a literary work taking the form of a discussion
Soliloquy- this is an uttereance from a character ‘talking to him or her self’ oblivious to any listeners who are present.

Aside –this is when character dialogue is spoken and not heard by anyone of the other actors.it helps to give the audience special information about the other characters or actions of the plot
Set - to provide the basis or background
Stage Directions- an instruction in the text of a play indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor, or the sound effects and lighting.
Stage Conventions- rules the audience and actors are familiar with. This helps to quickly signify the nature of the action of the character. Conventions also are the actions taken out on the stage contributing to the overall performance style.

Horse – appear as main characters, sidekicks and symbols of overarching themes in myths.

Dramatic Unities –there are three unities and they are time, place and action. They are observed in classical dramas.

Disguise – the is the changing of appearance and the concealing of identity with intentions of misleading or decreptive garb.
Literary Devices


Imagery- a figure of speech that is visually descriptive in a liteary work

Motif- a recurring subject, theme idea in literary or artistic work

Symbolism- and artistic or poetic style using images that are symbolic or gives an idirect suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions or a state of mind.

Dramatic and tragic irony- is the way in which the full significance of the words or actions is cleasr to the audience or reader although unknown by the character.

Tragic irony is the use of dramatic irony in a tragedy.

Juxtaposition- two things being close together with contrasting effect



Literary context
Social- this is how people use and interpret someones creation or intended audience. It influences how something I viewed

Historical- this is the interpretation and the influences of the time something takes place or was created.

Political- the enviornment something is produced indicating the purpose or agenda


Religious – interpretation on the different beliefes in a supernatural power that controls human

Ethnic - effecte the individual location decisions. They are driven by attitudinal factors

Moral- branches of religion has its own morals . it is the way in which a person percieves it

Intellectual - what a person writes or reads and how they rationalize

Cultural- based on the society that the characters live in and how their culture affects their behaviour and opportunities

Spectacle- witin the context spectacle is a form of capital punishment