1. Drama

2. It is different from Literature • It is written to be: • Performed/spoken, not read • Performed live • Performed to an audience • It is important to know: • That knowing and understanding the characters becomes more important • Whom the play was written for • We need to imagine or visualize certain things when reading

3. Elizabethan drama • Began in 1500s • There are dozens of dramas, including: • Tragedy: tells of the events of an important character and ends with a catastrophe (a spilling of emotions – usually caused by death, betrayal, etc.) • Comedy: written to amuse, usually on a light topic • Tragicomedy: combines elements of both

4. Structure of Plays • A play traditionally has five acts, scenes are often indicated by the entrance and exit of characters • Act I: Introduction – introduces characters and settings • Act II: Rising Action – introduction of conflict • Act III: Turning Point – the direction, momentum of the play is changed • Act IV: Falling Action – conflict is resolved • Act V: Conclusion – ends in a stable situation

5. Types of Stages • Arena – that stage is surrounded by the audience • This is with Greek Drama, which originated with religious rituals to the gods in the fifth century B.C. • Thrust – platform extends into the audience • Shakespeare • Proscenium – most common – the stage is surrounded by a frame or arch; usually has a curtain

6. Some important stage directions • Alarum: Stage directions indicating the coming of a battle; a call to arms • Catchword: In published Shakespeare players, a single word on the bottom of the right side of every page. This word was the first word appearing on the next page • Chorus: The chorus was a single person who recited a prologue before Act I (and sometimes between acts)

7. Dramatis Personae: List of the characters in a play • Enter: Stage direction indicating the entrance onto the stage of a character or characters • Epilogue: Short address spoken by an actor at the end of a play that comments on the meaning of the events in the play or looks ahead to expected events • Exeunt: Indicates the departure of two or more characters from the stage

8. Exit: Indicates the departure of a character from the stage • Flourish: Music usually introducing the entrance or exit of a king or another important person • Prologue: Introduction of a play • Re-enter: Indicates the re-entrance onto the stage of a character or characters

9. Solus: Indicates a character is alone on the stage • Torches: Indicates that entering characters are carrying lit torches • Within: Indicates that a person speaking or being spoken to is behind a door or inside a room