Elements of Drama and The Renaissance Theater

Elements of Drama

Drama – literature in which plot and characters are developed through dialogue and action.

Historical drama – a play set in the past

Elements of Drama

Stage directions – usually done in italictype and separated from dialogue by parentheses

Provide background

Setting/scenery/props

Costumes, lighting, music, and sound effects

Directions to actors – how they should look/move/behave

Elements of Drama

Plot – the sequence of events which move the story along; in drama these are divided into:

Scenes – each scene has a different time or place

Acts – scenes are grouped into acts

Elements of Drama

Characters –

Protagonist (sympathetic character)

Antagonist (usually “the bad guy”)

Foil – a character who provides a sharp contrast to another character.

Madame Forestier is a foil for Madame Loisel

Major and minor characters

Elements of Drama

Dialogue – Conversation between characters; in drama dialogue is critical for conveying thoughts and feelings, and every twist and turn of the plot.

Dialect – regional speech used to emphasize a character’s roots.

The Renaissance Theater

Could not show “reality,” so the audience had to rely heavily on its imagination.

Actors wore elaborate costumes.

Limited props -- scenery was described through the play’s language.

Act and scene divisions were added by later editors to allow for scene changes.

Popular Renaissance Theaters

The Theater – 1st public theater in London

The Curtain – 2nd theater built

The Globe – most famous theater; owned by Shakespeare’s acting company

3 main parts of The Globe:

The building (16-sided polygon)

The stage

The tiring house (backstage)

Admission was 1 penny for general seating

Renaissance London