Concepts of a Play, Essay Example

The characters who take roles in a play constitute a very important element in drama. The ways in which the characters are treated by the playwright constitute the main task in the process of writing a play. Conventions relating to setting determine the manner in which the playwright portrays the characters. Characterization is another important element of every play. Characterization is about the ability by the writer to match the antagonist against the protagonist with a certain measure of vitality and complexity in order to clearly differentiate between failure and success.

Another important element is stagecraft. The effects of stage are felt partly because and partly in spite of its definite physical limitation (Gassner, 2001). The setting and action take place on stage. The stage should be designed in a manner that gives additional hints to those already provided in the play’s plot and setting.

Genres constitute an important element in drama. The main genres or categories of drama are comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy and melodrama. Each of the genres can be subdivided further based on content and style.

The playwright uses characters to develop themes. The setting that is chosen determines the major themes that are explored as well as their impact on the audience. Style and tone are two very important aspects that determine mood in drama. Different themes are explored through different styles and tones to bring about different moods. For example, comedies are written using a jovial style, wit and comical characters (Elam, 1980).

Plot refers to the sequence of dialogue among characters. Plays are divided into scenes. Many scenes make up an act. A work of drama contains several acts. Sometimes acts may be divided into different parts, for example part one and part two. The organization of scenes, acts and parts determines the structure of a play.

References

Elam, K. (1980). The semiotics of theatre and drama, London: Routledge.

Gassner, J. (2001). Directions in Modern Theatre and Drama, New York: John Wiley.