Elements of Drama
Survey of Literature
Class Notes
Where drama comes from:
• Story
• Memory
• Imagination & Fantasy
• Physical Action
• Human Motives
– Stated desires, needs
– Unstated desires, needs
The Framework of Drama
(common terms)
• Characters
• Conflict
• Tension
• Action
• Dialogue
• Climax
• Change
We care for Characters because
they…
• Are linked to the audience by humanity;
• Are involved in conflicts that seem real to
the audience;
• Are engaged in situations that matter (life,
self-respect, beliefs/moral choices,
security, happiness);
• Show as well as tell truths.
Conflicts
• Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Self
• Man vs. Nature
• Man vs. Society
• Note: Opposing forces can come from
within and from without.
The Playwright’s Tools
• Script & Scenes
• Characters
• Costumes
• Lighting
• Scenery
• Props
To Read a Play
• Return to the cast of characters as needed
• Pay attention to stage directions
• Note the non-vocal effects (pauses, time
for movement, turns, asides, etc.)
• Identify with the characters’ emotions by
thinking “If that was me, I would….”
Reading the Play
(Background Knowledge)
• Be aware of irony
– Dramatic Irony (audience knows more than
characters on stage)
– Verbal Irony (character says something that
means much more than it is intended to mean
• Be alert for Allusions
– References to classical situations or
archetypes
Reading the Play
(More Background Knowledge)
• Metaphorical Language
– Comparisons between unlike ideas or things
– Ex: Creon’s comparison of Thebes and a ship
on the ocean
• Character Relationships
– Who’s who
– Foil characters (characters whose features or
attitudes highlight others characters by
contrast (ex. Ismene to Antigone)