Elements of Drama

Aristotle's Poetics

Aristotle, largely considered the first literary critic, set forth to define the essential elements of drama in his work, Poetics, written in 341 BCE. He identifies several critical elements of drama, listed in order of importance:

  • Plot:

    • Definition: The events or order of events in the play; the storyline itself.

    • Importance: Scholars largely agree that plot remains the most important element of drama.

    • Structure: Most plays have a beginning, middle, and end.

    • Character Development: Characters typically grow and develop throughout the drama.

  • Character:

    • Definition: The development and growth of characters in the play.

    • Importance: For a character to elicit "fear and pity" from the audience, they must undergo struggles.

  • Thought:

    • Definition: The deeper themes, philosophies, or ideas reflected in the play.

  • Diction:

    • Definition: The use of "poetic speech" or literary devices.

  • Song:

    • Definition: The music that accompanies the drama.

  • Spectacle:

    • Definition: The visual impact of the play, including aspects like props and costumes, akin to modern special effects.

Plot Structure

As elaborated in the Creative Nonfiction and Fiction chapters, plot is the top element in narrative structures. It concerns the sequence of events and their arrangement. There is flexibility in structuring a drama, but effectiveness relies on intentionality to generate desired audience responses.

Tragic Plot Structure

According to Aristotle, an effective tragic plot generally follows this sequence:

  1. Inciting Incident:

    • Example: Two brothers murder each other, and their uncle, the King, refuses to bury one of the brothers.

  2. Rising Action:

    • Example: The sister of the murdered brothers defies her uncle the King by burying her brother against his orders, leading to the King commanding that she be buried alive for her defiance.

  3. Anagnorisis (Scene of Recognition):

    • Example: The King recognizes his stubbornness (hubris) and character flaw (hamartia) when a respected elder confronts him about denying his niece the right to perform her familial duty.

  4. Peripeteia (Reversal of Fortune):

    • Example: The King's recognition comes too late; as he sends soldiers to free his niece from her cave, she dies there, and his son (betrothed to her) commits suicide in grief.

  5. Scene of Suffering:

    • Example: A massive scene ensues filled with death and sorrow, confronting the King with shame over his choices, evoking pity and fear in the audience, ultimately leading to catharsis.

Unique Plot Structures

While many plays might not adhere strictly to this tragic structure, analyzing the formation of a plot's structure can yield profound meanings, which may vary the interpretation and genre of the play.

Setting

Setting is vital for establishing the story's context and atmosphere. A play requires well-designed sets, including:

  • Detailed backdrops

  • Props

  • Strategic lighting

  • Background sounds

For example, the setting of Hamlet takes place on a creepy, dark, foggy night at the fictional Castle Elsinore in Denmark. The setting is established through the stage, which is the physical space where actors perform and interact with the audience. Essential components for a play's existence include:

  • Actors (performers)

  • Audience (viewers)

  • Action and/or dialogue (performed by the actors)

Character Development

In contrast to novels, where readers encounter characters upon their introduction in the text, plays typically present characters right at the beginning, often in a character list.

  • Character List:

    • Usually appears within the first pages and highlights the most critical characters first (based on spoken lines or narrative importance).

    • Order of characters isn't necessarily the order of their appearance in the play.

Character Archetypes in Drama

Diverse roles exist in drama, with unique character archetypes:

  • Protagonist:

    • Definition: The hero or central character, often with the most lines.

    • Example: Hamlet.

  • Antagonist:

    • Definition: The villain or opposing force to the protagonist.

    • Example: Claudius from Hamlet.

  • Foil:

    • Definition: A character that defines another through contrast.

    • Example: Comparisons between Hamlet and Fortinbras, showing differing approaches to vengeance.

  • Wise Elder:

    • Definition: A character providing wisdom and guidance, often an older figure.

    • Example: The ghost of Hamlet’s father serves this role, while Polonius may invert this archetype.

  • Love Interest:

    • Definition: The romantic interest of the protagonist.

    • Example: Ophelia as Hamlet’s love interest.

  • Messenger:

    • Definition: A character who conveys important news or messages.

Dialogue and Action

The crucial difference between drama and fiction is that a play's plot is advanced primarily through dialogue and action rather than descriptive narration.

  • Dialogue:

    • Definition: Spoken words of characters; presented distinctly after the character's name in a script.

  • Action:

    • Definition: Physical movements performed by actors, typically not described in depth and subject to interpretation by the actors.

Example of Dialogue and Action

  1. Fictional Example: From The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, illustrates descriptive narration including thoughts and imagery.

    • Text Excerpt:
      "As the painter looked at the gracious and comely form he had so skilfully mirrored in his art…"

  2. Play Example: From Hamlet showcases dialogue without detailed action descriptions.

    • Text Excerpt:
      MARCELLUS: Holla, Bernardo!
      BERNARDO: Say, What, is Horatio there?
      HORATIO: A piece of him.
      BERNARDO: Welcome, Horatio. Welcome, good Marcellus…

In this excerpt, dialogue progression reveals character interactions and emotions without explicit action descriptions, leaving much to audience interpretation.

Conclusion

While some plays incorporate elements like narrators or choruses, the impact of drama is primarily generated through the dialogue and visual elements presented during a performance. Thus, the play's script plays a pivotal role, dictating both dialogue and action as well as stage directions necessary for successful performances.