INTRODUCTION

TO DRAMA
WHAT IS DRAMA
○ a composition in verse or prose
intended to portray life or
character or to tell a story usually
involving conflicts and emotions
through action and dialogue and
typically designed for theatrical
performance

○ it is the specific mode of fiction

represented in performance: a
play, opera, mime, ballet, etc,
performed in a theatre, or on
radio or television.
BACKGROUND OF
DRAMA
 BACKGROUND OF DRAMA

The origin of the drama is deep-rooted in the religious predispositions of

mankind. Same is the case not only with English drama, but with dramas of
other nations as well. The ancient Greek and Roman dramas were mostly
concerned with religious ceremonials of people. It was the religious
elements that resulted in the development of drama. As most of the Bible
was written into Latin, common people could not understand its meanings.
That’s why the clergy tried to find out some new methods of teaching and
expounding the teachings of Bible to the common people. For this purpose,
they developed a new method, wherein the stories of the Gospel were
explained through the living pictures..
ELEMENTS
OF
DRAMA
 ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
THEME/IDEA
It may be stated through dialogue by a
character acting as the playwright’s voice. Or
it may be the theme is less obvious and
emerges only after some study or thought.
The abstract issues and feelings that grow
out of the dramatic action.
CHARACTERS
These are the people presented in the play
that are involved in the perusing plot.  Each
character should have their own distinct
personality, age, appearance, beliefs, socio
economic background, and language.
PLOT
The events of a play; the story as opposed to
the theme; what happens rather than what
it means.The action and movement in the
play begins from the initial entanglement,
through rising action, climax, and falling
action to resolution.
LANGUAGE
The word choices made by the playwright
and the enunciation of the actors of the
language.Each playwright can create their
own specific style in relationship to language
choices they use in establishing character
and dialogue.
 ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

MUSIC
Music can encompass the rhythm of SPECTACLE
dialogue and speeches in a play or can
The spectacle in the theatre can
also mean the aspects of the melody
involve all of the aspects of scenery,
and music compositions as with
costumes, and special effects in a
musical theatre.  Each theatrical
presentation delivers music, rhythm production.  The visual elements of the
and melody in its own distinctive play created for theatrical event.
manner.
TYPES
OF
DRAMA
 TYPES OF DRAMA

COMEDY TRAGEDY FARCE MELODRAMA

Comedies are lighter Tragic dramas use Melodrama is an

in tone than ordinary works,
and provide a
happy conclusion. The
intention of dramatists in
comedies is to make their
audience laugh. Hence, they
use quaint circumstances,
unusual characters, and witty
remarks.
darker themes, such exaggerated drama, which
Generally, a farce is a
as disaster, pain, and is sensational and appeals
nonsensical genre of
directly to the senses of
death. Protagonists drama, which often the audience. Just like the
often have a tragic overacts or engages farce, the characters are of
flaw — a characteristic a single dimension and
slapstick humor.
that leads them to simple, or may be
stereotyped.
their downfall.