FEATURES AND

ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
What is drama?
A drama is a serious, intense, or well
plotted story that elicits emotion.
The term comes from a Greek word meaning
action which is derived from to do or to act
Traditionally performed on stage
before an audience, but nowadays can
refer to a TV show, a movie,
Broadway show, etc.
Features of drama

The feature of is to be
performed on stage or
to be performed in
front of an audience.

It has to have:
Actors

Dialogue

Actions
Elements of drama

SETTING
CHARACTERS

DIALOGUE delivers the

plot/problem
CLIMAX

RESOLUTION

THEME
HOW ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
COMPARE TO LITERARY ELEMENTS
LITERARY ELEMENTS are READ by the audience in a
novel

ELEMENTS OF DRAMA are VIEWED by the

audience in a theatrical or screen play.
Features Actors Deliver the plot
Actors are various
persons who act in
a dramatic or comic
production and works
in film, television, theatre
or radio in that capacity.
The ancient Greek word for
an actor (hypokrites), means
literally "one who
interprets"; in this sense, an
actor is one who interprets a
dramatic character.
SETTING Stagecraft
LOCATION & TIME: Refers to
the surroundings and various
props needed to promote the
atmospheric effect of the
drama.
The stage creates its effects in
spite of, and in part because of,
definite physical limitations.
The effects of the stage are
created by the styles of
costumes, furniture, pieces of the
set as well as language suggest
the location and historical time
of a play.
 CHARACTERS
Most plays contain major
characters and minor
characters, and protagonists
and antagonists
MAIN CHARACTERS
Protagonist - Hero
Antagonist - Villain

The conflict between the two

creates the problem/plot.
.
DIALOGUE (Plot)
Dialogue, conversation is
the ELEMENT OF DRAMA.
It is the equal to
the literary element, PLOT
which is written. Dialogue
consists of a spoken or
conversational exchange
between two or more
("dia" means through or
across) people.
CLIMAX
TENSION is created throughout the play from the
interactions between the protagonist and
antagonist, or the inner conflict of a character.
Several small climaxes created a BUIDLING
TENSION until the final BIG CLIMAX results
RESOLUTION
The plot/problem/conflict between the protagonist
and antagonist is resolved and the tension released
as the play comes to an end.
THEME
Is the unspoken word of the author, or the moral of
the story. It is considered as the soul of the drama
if plot were to be thought of as the body.
The same plots have been and will be used many
times; it is the themes treatment that supplies each
effort with originality or artistic worth.
The treatment of theme is equally varied.
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