A Lesson on the Elements of Drama
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Transcript A Lesson on the Elements of Drama
A Lesson on the
Elements of Drama
Literature and Composition
What is Drama?
Drama
is written to be performed
by actors. The script consists of
dialogue and monologue and
stage directions.
Types of Plays…
Comedy – a humorous play with a happy
ending
Tragedy – a play in which a hero suffers a
major downfall
Drama – a serious play, although the
consequences are not as dire as those in a
tragedy
Dialogue and Monologue
Dialogue – a
conversation between
two or more
characters
Monologue – a
lengthy speech that
one character
addresses to others
on a stage
What is this an example of ?
ISMENE: Antigone, you are mad! What could
I possibly do?
ANTIGONE: You must decide whether you
will help me or not.
ISMENE: I do not understand you. Help you
in what?
Monologue vs. Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a long speech expressing
the thoughts of a character alone on stage
A monologue is a speech by one character
in a play, story, or poem. A monologue may
be addressed to another character or to the
audience.
Aside
A speech directed to the audience that
supposedly is not audible to the other
characters onstage at the time.
TYPE of monologue.
EXAMPLE:
Zack Morris on Saved by the Bell
Plot
Plot – series of events
Incidents in a story that shape the action and give the story a
particular focus.
Plot is not just what happens, but also how and why things
happen the way they do.
(Label the plot chart below!)
Conflict
A conflict is a struggle between two
opposing forces.
Types:
Internal – a character in conflict with himself or
herself
External – a character struggles against an
outside force
Structure of a Drama
A dramatic text is divided into two sections,
ACTS and SCENES.
ACT – larger unit of a play. Nearly all
Shakespearian plays have five acts.
SCENE – smaller unit of a play. Multiple
scenes are in each act.
EXAMPLE: Act I, scene ii
(First Act, second scene)
Now you try!
Write a short script that includes dialogue
and conflict. It can be a comedy or a
tragedy. You must have at least 10 lines of
dialogue. You can work with a partner!
Be creative!