XI 4.1 History of English Drama- Notes

 4.1 History of English Drama

Notes-

A.1 Compare the features of a comedy and tragedy.

Comedy	Tragedy
A comedy deals with humorous story with a happy ending.	The tragedy deals with a serious or darker themes with sad ending.
A comedy creates laughter and fun	A tragedy creates emotions of pity and fear.
A comedy depends mostly on unusual circumstances and witty dialogues.	In tragedy the main character mostly has a moral flaw that causes the tragic end.
A comedy uses humorous dialogues and situations to give relief.	A tragedy evokes pity for the characters and teach moral lesson.

A.2. Define Drama

• The term drama was coined by the poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel T. Coleridge.

• Definition of Drama- 

1. Drama is a composition designed for performance in the theatre in which actors take the roles of the characters, perform the indicated action and utter the written dialogue.    -A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H.Abrams

2. Drama is a composition in verse or prose to be acted on the stage, in which a story is related by means of dialogue and action and is represented with, accompanying gesture, costume and scenery as in real life.        -Shorter Oxford Dictionary

• Drama is a performance which is essentially loud, exaggerated and larger than life.

• It is an audio-visual medium.

• A play, opera, mime and ballet these are the examples of drama.

• Drama is performed in a theatre, on radio or on television.

• Plot, Characterization, dialogue, setting, stage directions, conflict, and theme are the elements of drama.

• There are three types of drama-Tragedy, Comedy, Tragic Comedy

3.Enlist a few reasons for watching a drama live on the stage.

Reasons for watching a drama live on the stage are-

• It gives real and live experience.

• The lighting, music, special effects, etc. keep the watcher captivated, and he never forgets the story or what has been enacted.

• It shows expressions, gestures according to the scene or situation. 

• It gives joy and creates real atmosphere before the eyes of the audience.

• It develops spectators’ involvement in the events

• It presents concrete picture before the audience.

4.Explain the term plot.

• The plot is the series of events that take place (Occurring) in a play.

• It is the plan, scheme, or pattern of the play. 

• It has beginning, middle and an end.

• English novelist E.M.Forster described plot as the cause-and –effect relationship between events a story. According to Forster, “The king died, and the queen died, is a story, while “The king died, and then the queen died of grief,” is a plot.

5.State the difference between poetry and drama.

Poetry	Drama
Poetry is a verse or a poetic presentation for recitation.	Drama is normally in prose form represented by actions and script.
Poetry has stanzas. For musical effect most of the poetry has rhyme and rhyme.	Drama has acts, scenes and dialogue.
Poetry presents a word picture. There is use of poetic devices like figure of speech.	Drama presents the story through performance, characterization and plot.

6.Name any four periods of History of British Drama

The four periods of History of British Drama are-

1..Medival period

2. Renaissance period

3.Restoration period

4.Victorian period

7. State the difference between drama and a novel. 

Drama	Novel
Drama tells a story through the performances, acts, scenes and dialogue.	Novel is written in a narrative form.
It is meant to be performed, to be seen and heard.	It is meant for reading and not for performance.
It performs characters and actions.	It describes characters and actions by through narrator. Or novels are meant to be read.
We can watch the drama in one setting.	Novel is meant to be read over time.
It is interpreted according its own characters and the way they present themselves.	Novel can be interpreted in many ways. You are your own judge.

8.Explain the term ‘willingness suspension of disbelief’.

• Willingness to accept the unreal.

• Sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment.

• Willingness of the audience to overlook the limitations of a medium.

9. Differentiate between characters and characterization.

Character	Characterization
Characters of a drama are the personalities performing actions to tell the story	Characterization deals with the unique qualities that dramatist bring in life
The protagonist is the main character in the play and other characters are major, minor, static and dynamic, flat and round.	Characterization means to reveal peculiarities of the characters. To gain insight into their personalities, establish connections with them.
Character is a person, an animal, or an imaginary being that participates in the action of a story.	Characterization is the tool or techniques that authors use to create or develop a character.
It is a person in a story	It is a device used to create a character and make him or her seem vivid and real.

10.Define dialogue

Dialogue is a literary technique. It involves two or more speakers.

• Definition-it is a conversation between two or more characters in a literary work.

• Meaning- the term dialogue means “di- two,  logue- speak”.  In this sense, two people are speaking to create dialogue.

Soliloquy-

• The word soliloquy is derived from the Latin word ‘solo’ means ‘to himself or herself’ and ‘loquor’ means ‘i speak’. It means ‘talking to oneself’.

• Soliloquy- is a popular literary device often used in drama to reveal the innermost thoughts of a character.

• It is a great technique used to convey the progress of action of the play.

• Character’s thought process expressed aloud.

• It reveals the nature of character and gives us information about his relations.

• A soliloquy is a character making a speech, usually when alone.

Monologue-

• The word monologue is derived from Greek word ‘mono’- means alone and ‘logue’ means- to speak. So, it means “to talk alone”

• In theatre it is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their mental thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience

Prepared by - Jyoti Walunj - Landge