DRAMA
CONTENTS:
- Introduction
- Origin, growth and development
- Types of drama
- Elements of drama
1. INTRODUCTION :
The word 'drama' is derived from the Greek word 'chain' which means to do or to perform. Technically it means a deed or action on stage. Drama is meant for purification of hearts and sometimes for salvation. Its elements on one hand include characterization, plot and dialogue and on the other hand it includes stillness, sound and light. So, it is difficult to define drama in brief.
In literature, a drama is the portrayal of fictional or non-fictional events through the performance of written dialogue, either prose or poetry. Drama can be performed on stage, film or even the radio. Drama is typically called play, and its creators are known as Playwrights or Dramatists.
Drama depends heavily on spoken dialogue to keep the audience informed about the characters' feelings, personalities, motivations and plans.
2. ORIGIN, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT :
The origin of drama is deeply rooted in the instincts of mankind. This is true of the Greek, Indian, Chinese, Egyptian and of the modern Christian drama. The ancient Greek drama shows close kinship with the religious ceremonies of people. Greek drama is said to be the earliest recorded form of drama (5th century BC). It is said to have originated from the Dionysian religious rites, and also remained a communal rite during the classical period. Dionysus, God of life and death, God of wine and fertile earth was the father of Greek comedy and tragedy.
The dramatists of this age gave insight into the philosophy and religious beliefs of the ancient Greece. The early Greek plays treated life's basic problems with utmost honesty and attacked social ills using legendary and mythological themes. This helped to ensure sanity and balance in the society.
In the Medieval period, drama was used to clarify the message of the gospel through the re-enactment of the biblical stories during mass gatherings. It was later expanded to include the dramatization of the lives of the saints and other notable stories of the bible that which not form part of the Sunday's lessons. It was therefore used for the spiritual and moral growth of the people.
Drama and theatre also played major roles in the social lives of the people in the ancient Rome Empire, England, Germany and France.
The American industrial sector was radically but positively affected through the play of Arthur Miller, 'Death of a salesman'. This play is regarded as being responsible for the spirit of industrial revolution in America.
In Africa, Kenya to be precise, a playwright, Ngugi wa Thiong'o was arrested and detained because of the political and social consciousness which his play, I Will Marry When I Want, aroused in the audience after the production. The play was written in the Kikuyu language which made the audience to assimilate its message immediately and act accordingly. The playwright was forced to exile.
The drama of any society, therefore, reflects the problems, aspirations, philosophy, beliefs and the cultural backgrounds.
3. TYPES OF DRAMA :
The six common types of drama are :
- COMEDY : Lighter in tone; make the audience laugh; usually have happy endings; sarcastic in nature; poking fun at serious topics . Sub-genres of comedy : Romantic comedy, Sentimental comedy, Comedy of manners and Tragic comedy.
- TRAGEDY : Dark themes; serious subjects like death, disaster and human suffering in a dignified and thought-provoking way; rarely enjoying happy endings.
- MELODRAMA : The word melodrama is coined from Melo (music) and Drame (drama); It is a play which utilizes music extensively; Protagonist suffers a lot but triumphs in the end, while the antagonist suffers.
- TRAGIC-COMEDY : Mixes both comic and tragic element in equal proportion; Elicits both tragic and comic emotions; In these plays, the characters take on tragedy with humor in bringing serious situations to happy endings.
- FARCE : Humorous play on a trivial theme usually one that is familiar to the audience; themes include mistaken identity, elaborate misunderstanding, switched costume, misheard instructions, discoveries, disappearances and many such situations; Farce does not treat serious social issues.
- OPERA : This versatile genre of drama combines theatre, dialogue, music and dance to tell grand stories of tragedy or comedy; performers must be both skilled actors and singers.
 |
| Example of opera |
According to Aristotelian conventions, there are six basic elements followed in any drama across eras. They are:
- Dianoia (Theme) : It is the central idea around which the story is built.
- Mythos (Plot) : The order of events occurring in a play is called plot.
- Ethos (Characters) : The characters of a play are essentially the people who perform the drama.
- Lexis (Diction/Language) : It is the most important aspect of the play. The wit, accent, tone and soliloquies are few techniques which say a lot about a character. Language may include both verbal and non-verbal techniques.
- Melos (Music) : The music compositions, the sounds and the rhythm of the dialogues, the background score and sound effects is the Melos element of the drama.
- Opsis (Spectacle): The visual element like costumes, special effects, stage props and make-up spotlight the visual elements of the play and highlight the characters.
0 Post a Comment