EDUPEDIA247

Dialogue Dialogue is a discussion between two or more people. In literary works, it refers to a composition in a conversational form. In the novel it is incorporated in the story, that is, as the story progresses, the novelist gives two or more characters the opportunity to discuss or comment on certain issues and the story continues in prose form. However, in drama, the entire story is presented in dialogue. This explains why some people find it difficult to read plays because we see the name of a character, then, what the character says, the name of another character and the response. Dialogue in drama is expected to embody these literary and stylistic values: It advances the action in a definite way because it is not used for mere ornamentation or decoration. It is consistent with the character of the speakers, their social positions and special interests. It varies in tone and expression according to nationalities It gives the impression of naturalness without being actual, ver

Dramatic Action: Action is the process of doing something or the performance itself. The series of events that constitute the plot in any literary work is referred to as action. It includes what the characters say, do, think and in some cases, fail to do. Action involves activity. This activity becomes more pronounced in drama where the action is presented in concrete form as the actors present the story to the audience for entertainment and education. Drama is the only genre of literature in which the story is presented in dialogue from the beginning to the end. However, dialogue alone does not constitute dramatic action. What makes it drama is the action that is involved. Dramatic action includes facial expression, gestures and movements. So, what makes dialogue dramatic is the presence of action. It is only through action that the playwright- jean .portray .the .human situations he chooses to dramatize. It is the action that propels the plot and helps to advance the theme. In s

Types of Plot: There are different types of plots and each is designed for a particular purpose. Some plots, for instance, are designed to achieve tragic effect and others the effects of comedy, satire, or romance. However, all plays do not have what we might call good plots, that is, with the beginning, middle and end. So, we have different types of plots. In a play, as said earlier, we have the main plot and subject (sub) plot. The main plot deals with the major events and the sub plot deals with other incidents which can be complete and interesting stories on their own. However, a skillful playwright uses the sub plot to advance our appreciation and understanding of the main plot. According to Abrams, “the sub plot serves to broaden our perspective on the main plot and to enhance rather than diffuse the overall effects” (129) of the play. Aristotle divides plot into two - complex and simple plots. A simple plot is that in which the action is simple and continuous and in which

Structure of the Plot: As stated earlier, a good plot should have a beginning, middle, and an end. Oscar Brocket explains further that the beginning contains the exposition or the setting forth of information about earlier events, the identity of the characters and the present situation. Another aspect of the beginning is the point of attack which is the moment at which the main story starts as a potential conflict is identified. This is more obvious in classical plays usually, is focused early on the potential conflict or a question and its resolution leads to the end of the play. Such plays start with the inciting incident. Has incident is usually an occurrence that sets the main action in motion.   A good example is in found in Oedipus Rex. In the play, there is a plague in Thebes, the people are suffering and lamenting. Oedipus seeks solution from the oracle of Delphi and this leads to the major dramatic question (in this case, the identity of Oedipus) around which the play re

(2) Plot A lot of volume have been written on drama and aspects of drama of which plot is one of them. The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines plot as a “plan or line of events of a story especially of a novel or a story”. In dramatic plot, unlike in the novel where the author describes the characters and incidents they are involved in, the playwright presents the characters in action. This means that plot in drama develops through what the characters do or say, what is done to them, and or what is said about them or to them. We have seen that there are many opinions on plot but it cannot be concluded without looking at the insistence of the foremost critic Aristotle according to whom,” Plot is the imitation of the action- for by plot I here mean the arrangement of the incidents”.   The Greek tragic plots were based on the destiny of man and the gods were involved in the action. The tragic poet (playwright) was expected to base the plot on true events, myths and legends

1)      Imitation In simple terms, imitation means the act of copying somebody or something. It is an act of copying the way somebody talks and behaves, especially to entertain. In literature, imitation is used to describe a realistic portrayal of life,- a reproduction of natural objects and actions. This type of imitation includes writing in the spirit of the masters using merely their general principles; borrowing special “beauties” in thought and expression from the works of the best poets; or adapting their materials to the writer’s own age. In drama imitation is more pronounced in performance. This is understandable because a play is written primarily to be performed. What is being imitated in drama is basically life. Drama tries to present life as realistically as possible on stage. This is why we say that drama mirrors life. Awarding to Aristotle,” The instinct of imitation is implanted in mm from childhood, .one difference between him and other animals being that he is t

Difference between the Eastern and Western Drama: Some people think that high aesthetic values and dramatic traditions influenced and developed the Indian drama. Interestingly, such thinkers do not include only the Orientals but even the Indian laureates. The father of western drama, Aristotle, maintained that it is in welfare of humanity for it acts as catharsis purification). He believed that the emotions produced by tragedy do not actually prove troublesome to the audience instead they arc reformed by getting riddance of fear and piety Considering this viewpoint, Aristotle laid much stress on the passionate plots filled up with suspense, wonder as well as sorrows that could make the audience wail and shed tears thereby catalyzing their saturated waste of emotions. Such type of plot could be produced only through extreme unpleasant ending as a result of severe conflict, violence, blood-shedding, tyranny and so on.    On the other hand, according to Natya Shastrya (the scie

Origin of Drama: It is commonly believed that the art of drama is western form of literature and it has been originated from the Greeks. But in reality it is not like that as the Encyclopedia Americana has rejected this theory. It traces its origin in Egypt as far back as 3200 B.C.it reads: “Until comparatively recent times it has been supposed that western drama originated among the Greeks in and around Athens some time during the 6th century, by some modem researches indicated that some knowledge of the drama may have come from Egypt where it is known of Egyptian drama was the famous Abydos or Osiris passion play. Osiris being the name of the god whose history is celebrated. But George Freedly and Join A. Reeves remark in their “history of the theatre”.  “The pyramid texts of which at least 55 exists the coronation festival plays, several of which survive in some forms; Hebseds (Coronation Jubilees), physical evidences of which still exist in great number Passion plays, at le

Functions of Drama Drama is said to have originated from rituals. It is an important branch of literature and is devoid of the closeness with the novel, the abstract message of fine arts, the incomplete message of music or the cryptic and abstruse language of poetry. It presents a story realistically through the actors to the audience. Drama is therefore used to entertain, inform and educate people. We can see that it is the most effective tool for mass mobilization by the government and private agencies. For instance, most campaigns against AIDS, DRUG ABUSE, CHILD ABUSE and so on, are presented in form of drama to educate, enlighten while at the same time entertain the people. Of all the creative artiste, the dramatist is in the best position-to reflect his society and to cause social reforms. This is because his work has a unique characteristic of presenting events in a vivid, picturesque and realistic manner. This helps to stamp social conditions realistically in the minds of t

Definition of Drama Drama is an imitation of life in which dialogues and acting are in full consonance with real life where acting and performance occupy the first place and dance and dialogues occupy the second place. Drama is a branch of fine arts. According to some scholars the drama is a literary miracle which is written for the stage; dialogues and speeches are in the form of poem; sentiments and feelings are expressed by body and tongue. Hari Ram Shankar, a Sanskrit scholar defines drama as follows: “Drama is the representation by actors put up for show at certain place before spectators in the form of imitations of conditions and situations in which persons are placed from time to time by certain means, leading to enjoyment of a particular pleasure”. The Encyclopedia Americana bears the definition as follows: 45 The Greek term drama meaning action applies to a form of literature intended to be interpreted to an audience by actors who impersonated the characters, rec

Drama: its origin, growth and development The word “drama” is derived from the Greek word “dran” means to do, to perform; akin to Greek “drainein” means to be ready, to do and technically it means deed, action on the stage. This meaning indicates that it has a particular relation with action. A cursory glance at its history clearly shows that since its inception, action has been an integral part of it. Drama is neither the name of statements in dialogue nor just a collection of characters as well as events nor is it just neither entertainment nor philosophy. Somewhere it is meant for purification of hearts and somewhere for salvation. Its elements, on the one hand include character, plot, and dialogue and color while on the other hand stillness, sound, light. So, it is difficult if not impossible to define Drama in brief.