Lesson 4: Reading and Writing Drama

1. ELEMENTS, TECHNIQUES AND LITERARY DEVICES IN DRAMA

“Drama” comes from a Greek word, which means action. It is a story told in dialogue by
performers in front of an audience. It is another word for a play. It is a portrayal of true stories
(non-fictional) or stories created through the imagination (fictional). In the past, when modern
movie theaters or cinemas were not yet existing, theater plays or dramas were very popular.

A person who writes or creates plays is known as a “playwright” or “dramatist”. Shakespeare,

who wrote the famous play “Romeo and Juliet”, is one of the most famous and successful
playwrights of all time. “Romeo and Juliet” is a sad or tragic love story, which ended in the death
of the lovers who are the main characters in the play. It is not just a love story, it also
presents important lessons about life and society’s battle with equality.

Literary Elements of Drama

1. Characters

These are the people, animals or even ideas who are given life in the play. In other words, they
are who make the story happen in drama. Characters are different from actors. Actors are the
ones who are doing the ‘acting ’ or the people who are portraying different characters

2. Setting

This is where and when the story in the play happened or the time and place where
the events in the play took place.

3. Plot

This element answers how the story happened in the play. This describes the events, which
relate to each other in a pattern or sequence that makes up a story. The plot helps playwrights
organize the information in the play in an understandable manner.

a. Exposition:

This is the beginning of the story where characters and setting are made known. This is the
stage when the conflict or the main problem in the play is introduced or presented.

b. Rising action:

This occurs when a series of events following the initial incident lead up to the
dramatic climax. This is when the events begin to get complicated or when excitement,
tension or crisis is encountered.

c. Climax:

This is the turning point or highest point of a story. This is meant to be the moment of highest
interest and emotion to make the audience or reader want so eagerly to find out what will
happen next.

d. Falling action:

The series of events following the climax when events and complications begin to resolve. e.
Denouement or Resolution: This is the end or the conclusion of a story’s plot. It allows a story
to end without trailing off or leaving the reader confused or unsatisfied.
 4. Dialogue

This refers to the words written by the playwright and spoken by the characters in the play
which can be found in a script. The dialogue helps move the action of the play along.

B. The Modern Theater

These are the additions to the previously known literary elements which result from the changes
and transitions related to theater play after a certain period of time.

 Conventions: These are the techniques and methods used by the playwright and director
to create the desired stylistic effect.
 Genre: Genre refers to the type of play. Some examples of different genres include
comedy, tragedy, mystery and historical play.
 Audience: This is the group of people who watch the play. Many playwrights and actors
consider the audience to be the most important element of drama, as all of the effort put
in to writing and producing a play is for the enjoyment of the audience.

C. Technical Elements

These elements are necessary to add a visual appeal to the stage setup which
makes play production appear more dramatic and realistic. These elements add life or
spice to the play as they help build up the characters as well as make the scenes clear to the
audience.

 Scenery (set): backdrops, or environment. This is the theatrical equipment, such as

curtains, flats, platforms, used in a dramatic production to communicate
 Costumes: These are the clothing and accessories worn by actors to portray their
character and period.
 Props: This is short for properties; any article, except costume or scenery,
used as part of a dramatic production; any moveable object that appears on stage
during a performance, from a telephone to a train.
 Lights: This is the placement, intensity, and color of lights to help communicate
environment, mood, or feeling
 Sound: The effects an audience hears during performance to communicate character,
context, or environment
 Makeup: This includes costumes, wigs, and body paint used to transform an actor into
a character.

D. Performance Elements

These are the elements necessary to make a good production. These are considerations
actors should apply and be aware of to be able to perform their roles well.

 Acting: This refers to the use of face, body, and voice to portray character
 Character motivation: This is the reason or reasons for a character’s behavior.
 Character analysis: In responding to dramatic art, this is the process of
examining how the elements of drama – literary, technical, and performance – are used.
 Empathy: This is the capacity to relate to the feelings of another.
 Speaking: This refers to the mode of expression or delivery of lines.
 Breath control: This refers to the proper use of the lungs and diaphragm muscle for
maximum capacity and efficiency of breath for speaking.
  Vocal expression: This is how an actor uses his or her voice to convey character
inflection or the change in pitch or loudness of the voice.
 Projection: This is how well the voice carries to the audience
 Diction: This is the selection and pronunciation of words or the clarity of speech.
 Gestures: These include movement of the actor’s head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot
to convey meaning.
 Facial expression: This is the physical and vocal aspects used by an actor to convey
mood, feeling, or personality.

Techniques and Literary Devices in Drama

Playwrights use many techniques and literary devices to make the story more exciting and
interesting. These techniques help bring the story to life and arouse the intended emotions in
the audience or readers. A good play is one that captures the audience’s/readers ‘heart and
attention while leaving important lessons or realizations about society, family, love,
politics, poverty, life and other significant issues we deal with every single day.

A dramatic device is a convention used in drama as a substitution for reality that the
audience accepts as real although they know them to be false. These techniques give
the audience information they could not get from straightforward presentation of action.
Some of these literary devices are the following:

 Soliloquy: This is read as sƏ-li-lƏ-kwē. This is a speech by a single actor who is alone on
stage. Most classical plays have scenes when a character does soliloquy. The character
speaks out his/her thoughts aloud for the audience to know and understand what he/she
is thinking.
 Monologue: This refers to a long speech made by one actor which may be delivered
alone or in the presence of others.
 Dramatic Irony: This occurs when a character’s words or acts carry a larger meaning
that the character does not perceive. He/she expects the opposite of what fate holds in
store, or unknowingly says something that has a double meaning. The audience,
however, is fully aware of the character’s situation.
 Foreshadowing: This is the playwright’s use of “hints” or “clues” which prepares the
audience/reader for future events or the outcome.
 Imagery: This is creating images in the audience’s/readers’ mind through the use of vivid
words. The use of figurative language is a good technique to stir and challenge the
readers’ imagination. This can be achieved by using figures of speech like hyperbole,
metaphor, simile, paradox, personification, oxymoron, metonymy and many others.