Lesson 1.

2 Elements of Drama

Lesson Summary
This lesson touches the learners’ schema on the basic elements of drama that would help
them performing classroom plays. Also, to rekindle their knowledge in reviewing and analyzing
the plot of either a classic or a contemporary play.

Learning Outcomes
1. Recall the basic elements of drama; and
2. Categorize the characters’ personalities of an epic musical play; and
3. Analyze a play using the Freytag’s Plot structure pyramid.

Motivation Question:
Based on your rote learning, what are the basic elements of drama?

Lessons
The Elements of Dramatic Structure
Like the various genres in literature, a drama must be well-structured for it to become
efficacious. Underpinning the drama structure and being able to recognise its components is an
important step in the script analysis process which is one of the first steps to be taken by a
designer.
According to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who was the first person to consider the
idea of what made a play good or bad by examining in-depth analysis of the play Oedipus by
Sophocles, he identified the salient six elements. They are in order of importance:
1. Plot
2. Character
3. Thought
4. Dialogue/ Language
5. Music
6. Spectacle
Plot
Aristotle reckoned plot as the most important, as it covers all of the other elements in the
dramatic structure. Generally, the plot of the play pertains to the selection and the arrangement
of scenes from the story to be presented in a theatrical stage. It takes a well-constructed plot for
a playwright to connect with the audience and keeping them engage with the entire
performance.
According to the 19th century German playwright and Novelist, Gustav Freytag, there are
five stages of the traditional or linear dramatic plot structure. Below is the explicit illustration of
Freytag’s Pyramid.

Figure 1.1 Freytag’s Dramatic Plot Structure Pyramid

Exposition. The introduction to the plot. It provides the background information about the
characters, setting, occasion, and principal theme of the play. Traditionally, it occurs at the
beginning of the play and the real excitement begins at the later part of the plot, necessitating it
to bring the audience to haste.
Inciting Incident. It is otherwise known as the point of attack. This is where the first increase of
tension is transpiring, leaving the exposition to an end. The event sets the play in resting
motion, heading straight to the rising action.
Rising action. The point where the tension and conflict increase as secondary obstacles are
unveiling to further complicate the main internal conflict of the play. The former include the
introduction of the other casts that are of lesser importance compared to the antagonist.
Likewise, this is the stage where the protagonist will encounter crisis and other mishaps that
propel the action to the play’s climax.
Conflict - This is essential to a plot as it ties incidents together, and helps the plot move.
Additionally, conflict is not merely limited to arguments, it may also be in the form of struggles
the main character is facing. Within a story, there may be one central struggle, or there may be
many minor obstacles with one central or dominant struggle. The two kinds of conflict are as
follow:
i. Internal Conflict. Struggle within one's self.
• Man vs. Self - Struggles with own's physical limitations, choices, and spiritual and
emotional troubles.
ii. External Conflict. Struggle with a force outside one's self.
• Man vs. Character - Struggles against other people.
• Man vs. Nature - Struggles against animals, weather condition, environment, etc.
•Man vs. Society - Struggles against ideas, practices, social status, culture, traditions, and
norms of others in the community.
As fiction and writing techniques have evolved and the occurrence of psychological
theories, technological advances, and urbanization other forms of conflict now include Man vs.
Technology and Man vs. Alter Ego, Man vs. Alien Society, Man vs. Biotechnology, and even
Man vs. Cloned Self has been added to the expanding list.

Climax. The pinnacle level of suspense and tension. Also the turning point that marks the
change in character of the protagonist, may it be for better or worse. This is the stage that the
audience is looking forward to discern. The start of mending answers to questions in the mind of
the spectators. Depending on the genre, climax portrays the showdown between the protagonist
and antagonist.
Falling Action. It includes the reversal moment. This is where the storyline shifts and can
provide a final suspense moment. The various threads of the plot are starting to wind during this
point and the action moves to tie the remaining loose ends of the tale.
Denouement. This is the resolution or conclusion of the plot. In this stage, all the remaining
threads of the plot are tied up and the audience may be left with the characters’ features. Here,
a device called deus ex machine, or “good machine” may be introduced. The latter sought after
interfering in the protagonist’s life, but is often not apparent in some plays. Some story could
end in a happy, or tragic way, while some authors prefer to display a cliff-hanger finale.

Characters
These refer to the individual cast in the play and the audience getaway to connect to the
emotions and theme intended by the playwright. Below are the several types of characters that
are often than not, present in a theatre play.
Protagonist. The leading character in the play that drives the action forward. He is the "hero" or
the "good guy” or “key player” in the story. Hence, it is possible to have one or more
protagonists in a play.
Antagonist. Direct opposite or the villain in the protagonist’s role in the story, and as the “bad
guy” he attempts to destroy the latter’s role in the play. Antagonist may not be represented by a
human character, it could be the obstacles hindering the protagonist.
Stocks. These are stereotypical characters that are two-dimensional and easily recognizable,
e.g. maid, young lover, carpenter.
Representative. The characters that represent the whole community or the position of
everybody. Their identity is quintessential and gives an example of social norms.
Extraordinary. This pertains to the characters that are bigger than life, e.g. heroes, king and
queens, miracle workers.
Supernatural. The characters that are nonhuman, mostly having supernatural powers, e.g.
demons, angels, monsters, fairies, animals.
Narrator. The outside observer or speaker who guides the audience with the entire story.
Chorus. A group of characters, may be large or small, that act as one e.g. town people.
Characters Based on Personalities
Flat Character. Displays few traits that are easily recognizable. They do not change during the
course of the story, and typically represents a stereotype e.g. bully, mean girls.
Round Character. Someone who has more facet to his/her personality. This character
undergoes a complex development throughout the story e.g. Harry Potter.
Static Character. The personality or perspective involve does not change throughout the story,
and there is not much to learn about the character e.g. Sherlock Holmes.
Dynamic Character. The character who undergoes significant internal changes as the plot of
the story unfolds. These changes occur because of the changes in the situations or plot, and
when the character learns a lesson or changes.
Foil Character. The type of personality and qualities that exhibit a great contrast to the other
character especially that of the Protagonist.

Thought
This applies to the thematic material and concepts of the game, the script statement, and the
overall significance of the game. The relationships between characters and the conflicts that are
presented show and reveal their implications. Instead of being mentioned in drama, this is
sometimes inferred. Nevertheless, thoughts, viewpoints, character and dramatic action are
reiterated in a theme.

Dialogue/ Diction
It concerns not only the spoken dialogue, but even the literary features including the sound,
imaging, cadence, articulation and literary forms and figures. Simply speaking, the dialogue also
concentrates on the conversation between characters and the interaction between characters
and the audience.

Music
Plays were sung or chanted during Aristotle's times and not solely limited with dialogues or
acting. In most plays today, the musical aspect continues to be directly present. Sometimes
during intermissions or before the play starts, directors introduce or play music to set the
atmosphere of inside the theatre. The power of music makes the audience feel deeply rooted to
the play. It also takes a good choice of music to draw the spectators’ emotions and generate
empathy to the characters portrayed on stage.

Spectacle
This includes the visual elements of theatrical production such as: costumes, lighting, make-up,
scenery features and the overall appearance of the theatre. As the cinema is known as the art
of "moving images,” theatre is likened to be the "art of fluid sculpture." Withal, visual elements
can be impressive and subtle, great and prosaic.

Thus, plays are not various episodic in nature but artistically measured and made, each
united in its entirety and assumptions. The first are the omnipresent qualities of the plays
created by careful harmonization of the dramatic elements within each play.