Elements of Drama

Drama A story written to be performed by actors. o There are several different forms of presenting a drama; each has a very specific format. Plays have a very simple format; teleplays, for television shows, or screenplays, for movies, have more complex and strict rules for formatting. o The first dramas to be written for the express purpose of being performed were created by the Greeks. Many of our modern drama terms derive from Greek origins. Comedy In the Greek sense, a play that doesnt end in death. In modern usage, refers to a play that is humorous. Tragedy In the Greek sense, a play that ends with the death of at least one of the main characters. In modern usage, refers to a play that doesnt have a happy ending. Irony general name for moments in literature that involve surprising, interesting, or amusing contradictions Dramatic irony a contradiction between what the character thinks and what the audience or reader knows to be true Script the written text of a play. Usually includes a list of characters that appear in the play with a brief description of what the character is like (Dramatis Personae), brief descriptions of the sets or setting, and the lines the characters will speak. Dramatis Personae - "People of Drama" in Latin; a list of the characters in a play, usually found on the first page of the script; often includes important information about the character Character - as in a story, people or creatures that appear in a script by speaking or doing something (the "something" may be as simple as walking on stage, then walking off again); someone in a script who is involved with a plot Dialogue the lines spoken by the actors; in the script, preceded by the name of the character that is to speak the words

Monologue A speech given by a single character while that character is alone on stage; also called a soliloquy Soliloquy In drama (especially Elizabethan [Shakespearean]), an extended speech by a solitary character expressing inner thoughts aloud to him-or herself and to the audience; a monologue Aside A monologue performed by a character while other characters are on stage; the information in an aside is not heard by the other characters on stage, even though they may be standing very close by; it is intended to convey the characters private thoughts to the audience. Other characters on stage at that time may freeze, to show that the words being said are not being overheard; other times, the other characters will go about their business but ignore the character giving the aside. Exposition A speech or discussion presented in a very straightforward manner that is designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand Stage directions a description (as of a character or setting) or direction (as to indicate stage business) provided in the text of a play, usually indicated with italics and/or parentheses. May indicate where the scene takes place, what a character is supposed to do, or how a character should deliver certain lines. Enter A stage direction tells the character(s) to come onto the stage. Often includes a direction (left or right) or additional information about how characters are to enter the scene. Exit A stage direction tells the character(s) to leave the stage and the scene. Often includes a direction (left or right) or additional information about how characters are to leave the scene. Act A major section of a play, similar to a chapter in a book; an act is usually made up of several scenes Scene a subdivision of an act; usually, a scene indicates a specific location or time, and changes if another location or time is supposed to be presented. A scene usually ends when all the characters in the scene leave the stage.

Line Shakespeares plays were written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter, 10 syllables per line); as in a poem, a line might end though the sentence continues. Current copies of Shakespeares scripts usually have numbers listed in the margins of the pages so readers can find lines quickly. ***Specific points in the play can be found with a three number system (ex: 3.1.159 refers to a specific line: Act Three, Scene Two, Line One hundred fifty-nine; 2.2.2-7 indicates a series of lines in Act 2, Scene 2, starting at Line 2 and ending at Line 7)*** Chorus a character or group in a drama who speaks the prologue and epilogue and comments on the action Extra a minor character who doesnt have many or any lines; usually, extras dont have names, but are identified by what they do (servant, boy, policeman) and sometimes a number if there are more than one of that type of extra