Types of Drama
Tragedy- a play written in a serious, sometimes impressive or elevated style, in which things go wrong and cannot be set right except at great cost or sacrifice. Aristotle said that tragedy should purge our emotions by evoking pity and fear (or compassion and awe) in us, the spectators.

The tragic pattern: 1. a theme of fatal passion (excluding love) as a primary motive 2. an outstanding personality as center of conflict (classical tragedy demanded a “noble” character) 3. a vital weakness within the hero’s character (his tragic flaw which precipitates the tragedy) 4. the conflict within the hero is the source of tragedy. However, since Nietzsche, the tragic flaw is often found to be in the universe itself, or in man’s relationship to it, rather than in the hero himself.

Comedy- a play written in a kindly or humorous, perhaps bitter or satiric vein, in which the problems or difficulties of the characters are resolved satisfactorily, if not for all characters, at least from the point of view of the audience. Low characters as opposed to noble; characters not always changed by the action of the play; based upon observation of life. Comedy and tragedy are concerned more with character, whereas farce and melodrama are concerned more with plot.

Melodrama- a play in which the characters are types rather than individuals, the story and situations exaggerated to the point of improbability or sensationalism and the language and emotion over-emphasized

Farce- a comedy in which story, character, and especially situations are exaggerated to the point of improbability; the situation begins with a highly improbable premise, but when that is accepted everything that follows is completely logical. Fast moving; uses such theatrical devices as duplications, reversals, repetitions, surprises, disguises, chance encounters, often many doors and closets.

Tragic Comedy or Drama- a play with the sincerity and earnestness of tragedy but without its inevitability of impending disaster, and with the kindly and tolerant attitude of comedy but without its underlying spirit of humour; uses tense situations and moments of extreme conflict, but the tragedy is averted and transcended.

Other kinds of plays- 1.Classical tragic-comedy; noble characters but happy ending. 2. Classical comic-tragedy; low characters but ends badly 3. Satire 4. Vaudeville 5. Mime 6. Propaganda plays (or didactic drama)

The history of the drama (dramatic literature) might be seen as a constant alteration between the two poles of the classic mode and the romantic mode.

The history of theatre (performance of drama) might be seen as a constant alteration between the two poles of stylized presentation and realistic representation. Below is one interpretation of the relative positions of certain artistic movements in the theatre on a continuum between theatricality and realism:

theatrical 1. Constructivism 5. Romanticism actualistic presentational 2. Surrealism 6. Realism representational nonillusionistic 3. Expressionism 7. Naturalism illusionistic stylized, frankly 4. Symbolism realistic, creating the artificial illusion of reality

An Outline for Play Analysis

Name of play
Date of play
The author and his social milieu
Type of theatre for which the play was written
Genre: tragedy, comedy, drama, farce, melodrama
Author’s purpose

Theme: major theme minor themes
Breakdown of play by acts and scenes Plot development Settings Characters
Character:
Protagonist: character analysis motivation fatal flaw or comic weakness character evolvement Antagonist Other characters: their function in relation to protagonist their function within structure of play
Plot: main action Subplots Other production requirements Exposition demanded by the text: lighting Initiating incident costumes Obstacles or conflicts music Crisis dance Climax sound effects Resolution or denouement important props

Use of dramatic devices: irony, foreshadowing, suspense, surprises

Language: realistic, heroic, archaic, poetic, incantatory, orghast

Setting: period of style scene changes or changes within single set as play progresses mood essential scenic elements symbolism