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!