ANALYSIS OF DRAMAANALYSIS OF DRAMAIn Preparation for a Production of Beowulf

Mrs. MartynComp/Lit 12

What does this mean?What does this mean?

How about this?How about this?

What is the difference What is the difference between these two between these two pictures?pictures?

A work of art by Van A work of art by Van Gogh uses our Gogh uses our

feelings about the feelings about the night sky to night sky to

communicate communicate specific ideas. specific ideas.

• We do not question that Van GoghWe do not question that Van Gogh’’s s painting has a different meaning, a painting has a different meaning, a more focused meaning than a picture more focused meaning than a picture of the night sky.of the night sky.

• In the same way, a production means In the same way, a production means more than the story it tells. It is this more than the story it tells. It is this meaning that is the focus of analysis, meaning that is the focus of analysis, not the story.not the story.

WHAT IS DRAMA?WHAT IS DRAMA?

DRAMA IS:DRAMA IS:

• A COMMUNICATION OF IDEASA COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS

• TOLD IN THE FORM OF A STORY (with TOLD IN THE FORM OF A STORY (with notable exceptions)notable exceptions)

• TOLD IN THE FIRST PERSON AS IF THE TOLD IN THE FIRST PERSON AS IF THE EVENTS WERE OCCURRINGEVENTS WERE OCCURRING

• MEANT TO BE SEEN AS A PART OF A MEANT TO BE SEEN AS A PART OF A GREATER PRODUCTION RATHER THAN GREATER PRODUCTION RATHER THAN READ.READ.

Therefore an analysis of Therefore an analysis of drama includes:drama includes:• What ideas are being communicated?What ideas are being communicated?

• What are the key actions which What are the key actions which communicate those ideas?communicate those ideas?

• What is the nature of the communication What is the nature of the communication (satire, irony, melodrama etc)?(satire, irony, melodrama etc)?

• How did (or how will) this particular How did (or how will) this particular interpretation of this poem communicate interpretation of this poem communicate these ideas?these ideas?

Approaches to AnalysisApproaches to Analysis

For the purposes of this course you will For the purposes of this course you will analyze analyze BeowulfBeowulf from two perspectives: from two perspectives:

1.1.An artist who is communicating an An artist who is communicating an interpretation of a poem for productioninterpretation of a poem for production

2.2.An audience member who is An audience member who is communicating a reaction to a specific communicating a reaction to a specific interpretation of a poem which has interpretation of a poem which has been producedbeen produced

In addition, this unit will ask you to In addition, this unit will ask you to look at look at BeowulfBeowulf from the from the perspectives of designers, each of perspectives of designers, each of whom need specific kinds of whom need specific kinds of information and generally information and generally communicate different (but communicate different (but overlapping) aspects of the overall overlapping) aspects of the overall meaning of the production.meaning of the production.

The Parts of drama The Parts of drama (Aristotle)(Aristotle)

Plot: The manner in which the action is Plot: The manner in which the action is arranged.arranged.

Character: The specific human qualities Character: The specific human qualities affecting the action.affecting the action.

Thought (idea or theme): The Thought (idea or theme): The communication of the communication of the

productionproduction

LanguageLanguage

SongSong

SpectacleSpectacle

–THOUGHTTHOUGHTWhile Aristotle cites Plot as the While Aristotle cites Plot as the most important element of most important element of drama, thought represents its drama, thought represents its raison draison d’’etre.etre.

Thought refers to the idea which Thought refers to the idea which is being communicated by a is being communicated by a specific production. Clear specific production. Clear articulation of this idea can be articulation of this idea can be done in many ways. We will use done in many ways. We will use dramatic action to communicate dramatic action to communicate Beowulf’sBeowulf’s main idea. main idea.

DRAMATIC ACTIONDRAMATIC ACTION

The dramatic action at its best, articulates The dramatic action at its best, articulates the main idea of the story while also the main idea of the story while also suggesting the mood and manner in suggesting the mood and manner in which that idea is communicated.which that idea is communicated.

The dramatic action provides a concise The dramatic action provides a concise vision of the whole story.vision of the whole story.

It provides a purpose for bringing this It provides a purpose for bringing this story to life in this way.story to life in this way.

What am I talking about?: What am I talking about?: developing a themedeveloping a theme

We tell our actors that all action on stage We tell our actors that all action on stage must be motivated. The same is true with must be motivated. The same is true with a production. The communication of a a production. The communication of a theme motivates the work.theme motivates the work.

Themes are more than abstract ideas such Themes are more than abstract ideas such as as ““love,love,”” ““The American DreamThe American Dream”” or or ““death.death.””

Themes reflect a stance or comment on an Themes reflect a stance or comment on an idea that is idea that is significant to the audiencesignificant to the audience..

Story:Story:

• The story is a series of events which The story is a series of events which occur in the plot. They may or may not occur in the plot. They may or may not be causally linked.be causally linked.

• The story has a beginning a middle and The story has a beginning a middle and an end.an end.

• The story consists of The story consists of allall actions which actions which occur in the plot and all characters who occur in the plot and all characters who appear.appear.

PlotPlot• The plot is the sequence of events The plot is the sequence of events

which carry weight of the main idea which carry weight of the main idea of the story.of the story.

• Almost every plot involves a Almost every plot involves a character (protagonist) who is character (protagonist) who is attempting to achieve a particular attempting to achieve a particular goal and who must overcome goal and who must overcome obstacles in order to achieve that obstacles in order to achieve that goal (or goals) and undergoes goal (or goals) and undergoes change as a result of the strugglechange as a result of the struggle..

Communicating plot:Communicating plot:

• The plot, like the story, contains a The plot, like the story, contains a beginning, a middle, and an end.beginning, a middle, and an end.

• The plot is a series of incidents which The plot is a series of incidents which are causally linked. Thus, not all are causally linked. Thus, not all actions in a play are part of the plot. actions in a play are part of the plot.

• While the plot consists of many While the plot consists of many actions, it can be defined by 3 actions actions, it can be defined by 3 actions which occur in a logical sequence and which occur in a logical sequence and are caused by the prior action.are caused by the prior action.

Thus, you can communicate your plot for Thus, you can communicate your plot for your production of your production of BeowulfBeowulf by identifying by identifying the INCITING INCIDENT, THE CRISIS AND the INCITING INCIDENT, THE CRISIS AND THE CLIMAX.THE CLIMAX.

World of the PoemWorld of the PoemThe production conceptThe production concept

The world of the poem is a description of the The world of the poem is a description of the construct you create which simultaneously construct you create which simultaneously expresses the productionexpresses the production’’s theme and the s theme and the given circumstances of the story.given circumstances of the story.

Your production concept should explain any Your production concept should explain any ideas about your approach that ideas about your approach that allall your your designers should take into consideration. It designers should take into consideration. It is the guide that will inform all design is the guide that will inform all design choices in order to create a unified whole. choices in order to create a unified whole.