Drama

Elements, Techniques and Literary Devices in Drama and Comedy of manners- a comedy play that satirizes the manners
tirizes the manners and

Intertextuality: A Technique of Drama pretentiousness of a social class or several classes and often uses
stereotypes.
“Drama” comes from a Greek word that means action. It is a story
told in dialogue by performers in front of an audience. It is another According to Length
word for a play. It is a portrayal of true stories (non-fictional) or
stories created through the imagination (fictional). Full-Length play- (evening-length play)- from 70-80 minutes about to
two hours. One-Act Play- 15-45 minutes and ten-minute play which
Literary elements of Drama was popularized by the Actors of Louisville contest
1. Character -a person or an entity is given the characteristics of a According to Modality

person who acts, speaks, narrates, or is referred to in a literary work
Closet drama-a play that is meant to be performed onstage but
2. Setting - refers to the place and time where and when an event maybe just enjoyed by a solitary reader; or perhaps read out in a
happens small group
3. Plot-Divisions of a sequence of events that “has a beginning, a Monodrama- a theatrical played by a single actress usually portraying
middle, and an end” -- a pattern of actions, events, and situations one character
4. Dialogue- it is what the audience ultimately hears and sees in a Street play- a.k.a. street theater, is a performance piece in outdoor
performance public spaces without a specific paying audience
Theme: While plot refers to the action of the play, theme refers to the Puppet play- uses puppets of many types including glove or hand
meaning of the play. Theme is the main idea or lesson to be learned puppets, rod puppets, or the marionette on strings
from the play.
Dance drama- is a drama conveyed by dance movement and
Music/Rhythm: While music is often featured in drama, in this case sometimes accompanied by dialogue
Aristotle was referring to the rhythm of the actors' voices as they
speak Shadow play- uses shadows.
Spectacle: This refers to the visual elements of a play: sets, Musical play- it has songs, dances, and music
costumes, special effects, etc. Spectacle is everything that the According to Medium
audience sees as they watch the play.
A play performed on a stage is a stage play; a play meant to be made
THE MODERN THEATER into a movie is a screenplay; a play that is meant to be made for
Conventions: These are the techniques and methods used by the television is a teleplay, and a play that is meant for broadcast is
playwright and director to create the desired stylistic effect. called a radio play.
Genre: Genre refers to the type of play. Some examples of different INTERTEXTUALITY: A TECHNIQUE OF DRAMA
genres include comedy, tragedy, mystery, and historical play. - A literary device that shapes the meaning of your text (called
Audience: This is the group of people who watch the play. Many hypertext now) by another previous text by creating an
playwrights and actors consider the audience to be the most interrelationship and generating a related understanding of your
important element of drama, as all of the effort put into writing and works.
producing a play is for the enjoyment of the audience. Types of Intertextualities
Division of Drama obligatory intertextuality – deliberate compassion or association in
A tragedy is a play that is more serious and deals with darker your work with one or more other texts.
themes, usually marked by a sad and depressing ending. Optional intertextuality-the connection of texts may or may not be
Comedy is a play that is meant to be humorous with a happy and recognized by your reader and this has no big significance in the
vivacious ending. understanding of your hypertext.
Subgenres of Tragedy Accidental intertextuality-when a reader finds some connection

between your text and some other texts that you had no intention of
Melodrama – tragedy where exaggerated sensational and romantic making intertextual reference.
topics play with your readers’ feelings and emotions
There are many different types of intertextualities. All of them refer to
Tragicomedy- is when you blend both aspects of tragedy and texts in different ways to produce and shape meaning.
comedy, as when you give a serious play a happy ending or when
you put comedic elements in a tragedy to lighten the play’s mood. Allusion – a subtle or indirect reference to another text, historical
period, or religious belief
Subgenres of Comedy
• Parody – an imitation of another text for satirical purposes, usually
Satire-a comedy play that takes a comic look at the people and to mock
current events while at the same time attempting to make a political
or social statement like pointing out corruption • Quotation – a direct reference to another text with an
acknowledgment of its composer
Burlesque- a comedy that tries to make people laugh by caricaturing
the spirit of serious works, or by the ridiculous treatment of their • Appropriation – a reworking or re-imagination of a well-known text to
subjects change, or extend its meaning
Farce- is generally a nonsensical or overacted comedy play that • Adaptation – a film, TV drama, or stage play that is based on a
often uses slapstick humor. written work
Industry Standard format Part one, the orientation, is your introductory material that will
establish your play’s initial sense of equilibrium and stability.
-8.5x11 paper margin on top, right, and bottom, 1.5” margin on the
left to allow the binding later. The title-page will contain the title, Part two, is the disorientation in your play’s action, it starts with the
centered, and in all capital letters, and underlined : plus a statement point of attack that breaks the equilibrium or causes instability. This
about the length of the play. (a one act-play, or a three-act play , or a part can contain your hero’s goal, recognition of the need,
ten minutes play. The author’s name centered ,is under the underline. complications and reversals, planning and obstacles, and
continuation to the climax.
The second page lists the Cast of
characters (names, brief Part three, the reorientation, is your ending that follows the climax. It
descriptions, and relationships if can contain resolution, denouement, and catharsis.
they are pertinent) and a brief
description of Time and Place. In a full length-play of around 110 pages, your beginning can be 5-15
These three titles are in all caps , pages, followed by the long middle 85-100 pages, and a short ending
underlined, and centered. Your of 5-10npages.
stage directions are intended to the For a one act-play of 40 pages, 1-3 pages for beginning, 33-38 pages
right half of the page, and are typed for the middle and 1-4 pages for the ending usually do the trick.
single-spaced. They are put in
paretheses. and for a 10 minutes play, 1-2 pages for the beginning, 7-8 pages for
the middle and 1 page for the ending.
Dialogues, Monologue, Asides, and Soliloquy
Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people
Soliloquy, which is also a character’s speech, is like a monologue but

differs from a monologue by the fact that it is spoken when no one is
onstage.
An Aside- words were spoken in a play for the audience to hear but
were supposed not to be heard by other characters.
Theatrical Dialogue
-the dramatic exchanges expressing conflict between two or more

characters.
Theater
-denotes the elements of the whole theatrical production including

Dramatic Structure (Plotting) and Writing architecture, scenery, acting, advertising, marketing, and so on.
drama refers mainly to plays and dramatic plays or dramatic
Basic elements of dramatic writing literature.
Objective- is your character urgent want, need, or desire. Play is what the writer , called playwright produces. Drama is what
Obstacle- is a strong resistance, an impediment, or another the actors and directors do; the process of producing the play.
character’s action, that prevents your character from reaching her Theater is what actors, directors, technician , owners and managers
desired objective or goal. show; it is the product or the play performed onstage or any given
space.
Conflict begins when your character wants something but there is an
obstacle that is in the way. Playwriting in the Philippines
Dramatic action is the journey the trajectory, the events and

happening that ypur character takes to actively seek her objective.
Traditional Plotting
Part One, the orientation, is your introductory material that will

establish your play’s initial sense of equilibrium and stability.
Part two, disorientation is the action of your play, and it starts with the
point of attack that breaks the equilibrium or causes instability. This
part contains your hero’s goal, recognition of the need, complications
and rehearsals, planning and obstacles, and continuation up to the
climax.
Part three, the reorientation is your ending that follows the climax. It
can contain resolution, denouement, and catharsis. It restores a
sense of balance in your play’s universe.
Traditional Plotting

Drama

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Elements, Techniques and Literary Devices in Drama and Comedy of manners- a comedy play that satirizes the manners

tirizes the manners and

1. Character -a person or an entity is given the characteristics of a According to Modality

Subgenres of Tragedy Accidental intertextuality-when a reader finds some connection

Dialogues, Monologue, Asides, and Soliloquy

Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people

Soliloquy, which is also a character’s speech, is like a monologue but

-the dramatic exchanges expressing conflict between two or more

-denotes the elements of the whole theatrical production including

Dramatic action is the journey the trajectory, the events and

Part One, the orientation, is your introductory material that will

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