1I. INTRODUCTION Drama derives from a Greek word,drao, which means ”to do” or “to act.” Drama depicts human actions, conveyed in story form, which are performed by actors, singers, dancers, or mimes. What we see on stage—scenery, costumes, lighting, gestures, movement—enhance the story by giving it a concrete reality, though not always realistically. This is theater. Theater derives from ancient Greek word for the space in which plays were performed,theatron, or “seeing place.” One who writes plays is calledplaywright, which stems from an ancient Saxon word,wyrhta, meaning a worker or craftsman. So, a playwright is one who crafts, shapes, and purposefully constructs the story for maximum effect. Specific Instructional Objectives After you have finished reading this chapter, you are expected to be able: 1.to define drama 2.to describe the nature of drama 3.to explain the origin of drama This Chapter is Organized as Follows: Introduction A. Definitions of Drama B. The Nature of Drama 1. Drama as an Art Form 2. Drama as a Means of Self-Expression 3. Drama as a Means of Communication 4. Drama as Collective Experience C. The Origin of Drama D. Exercise, Feedback, and Assignments
2A. Definitions of Drama Oxford Dictionary defines drama as “A composition in prose or verse, adapted to be acted on 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.” This longdefinition of drama is strictly incorrect. ‘Acompositionin prose or verse’ seems to imply a text previously composed, so this definition cannot apply to an improvised dramatic performance; ‘…in which a story is relatedby means of dialogue…’: what, then, about those exquisite mime dramas with which the crowd of Paris were being entertained in the nineteenth century or which artists like Marcel Marceau give us today? ‘…adapted to beacted on stage…’: and what about drama in television, radio or the cinema?‘…represented with accompanyinggestures,costume and scenery…’: gestures, yes; but I have seen very good drama withoutcostume or indeed scenery! “…as inreal life…’: now, that is going a little far. It seems to assume that all drama must be realistic drama. IsWaiting for GodotorThe Zoo Storylike real life? And yet both, undoubtedly, are drama. One can also look at drama as a manifestation of theplay instinct: children playing Mother and Father or Cowboys are, in some sense, improvising drama. Or one can see drama as a manifestation of one of humanity’s prime social needs, that ofritual: tribal dances, religious services, great state occasions all contain strong dramatic elements. Or one can look at drama as something one goes to see, which is being presented and organized as something to be seen, aspectacle: in Greektheatre (…theatron) means a place where one goes to see something: the triumphal entry of a victorious emperor into Rome contained dramatic elements, so did gladiatorial contests and public executions, but none of these activities can be regarded as drama in its proper sense.
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