elements of drama

1. Lesson 6
Elements of drama

2. Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented
in performance. Drama is written by a
playwright and is performed by actors on a
stage before an audience.

3. Aristotle (384-322BC) was
a Greek philosopher
who was the first to
write about the
essential elements of
drama more than 2000
years ago.

4. 1. Plot
2. Theme
3. Characters
4. Dialogue
5. Music
6. Spectacle

5. The plot is what happens in the play. Plot
refers to the action; or the basic story-line of
the play.
Refers to the meaning or the idea of the play.
Theme is the main idea or lesson to be
learned from the play.

7. Persons (sometimes
animals or
supernatural figures)
who appear acting
in the play. They
present the idea of
the play itself and
move the action of
the play forward.

8. the main character of the play.
this character opposes the protagonist
or competes with him. He/she is an opponent to
the main character.
: a character who does not go
through a change.
a character affected
by the events of the story. These characters are
usually fully developed in terms of personality
and they are described in more and their
personalities emerge more fully.

9. The words written by the playwright and
spoken by the characters in the play.
The rhythm of the actors’ voices when they
speak.
The visual elements of a play, or everything the
audience see as they watch the play including
sets, costumes, lights, special effects, …etc.

14. Aristotle six elements of drama have changed
slightly in modern theater. Although you will
notice that many of the elements remain the
same.

15. 1. characters
2. Plot
3. Theme
4. Dialogue
5. Convention
6. Genre
7. Audience

16. Conventions are the techniques and methods
used by the playwright and director to create
the desired stylistic effect.
Genre refers to the type of the play. Some
examples of different genres include comedy,
tragedy, mystery, and historical plays.

17. 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 the effort put in to writing
and producing a play is for the enjoyment of
the audience.

19. Language: the particular manner of verbal
expression, style of writing, selection of
words, and the clarity of speech which
suggest the class and type of the character.
Soliloquy: a speech by a single actor who is
alone on stage.
Aside: speech whispered to audience or
another character on stage (not meant to be
heard by all actors on stage).