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Drama Group Project
- Define "drama" as a genre in one or two sentences: (see resources on Course Materials)
A fiction composition written in prose or verse, often including actions (stage directions) and dialogue, and divided into acts,
which are subdivided into scenes. Dramas are usually presented in dialogue or pantomime, with a story involving conflict or
contrast of character, and are intended to be acted on stage by actors; a play. Not only do dramas follow the plot structure of the Freytag pyramid, it's structure was originally based on the five act play.
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Using the (above) definition of "drama," explain why Shakespeare's The Tempest qualifies as a drama. Does The Tempest push or stretch the genre conventions? If so, which conventions?
Is it a play (written for performance on stage by actors)? Yes
It is divided into Acts, with each act further subdivided into scenes? Yes
Is it in verse or prose? Yes, Verse.
Is it presented in dialogue or pantomime? Yes, Dialogue.
Are there stage directions accompanying the text? Yes
Is it a story involving conflict or contrast of character? Yes. Prospero, the duke of Milan and a powerful magician, was banished from Italy and cast to sea by his brother, Antonio, and Alonso, the king of Naples. Antonio and Alonso come under Prospero’s magic power as they sail past his island. Prospero seeks to use his magic to make these lords repent and restore him to his rightful place. (from Sparknotes)
Does the plot follow the Freytag pyramid? Yes
Are there any genre conventions that The Tempest pushes or stretches?
No. Based on the above definition, The Tempest seems to be the perfect example of a drama.
Dracula
Is it a play (written for performance on stage by actors)? No
Is it in verse or prose? Prose
The text is divided into chapters, instead of acts and scenes
Are there stage directions accompanying the text? No
Is it a story involving conflict or contrast of character? Yes, mother vs. anti-mother, vampires vs. humanity.
Does the plot follow the Freytag pyramid? Yes
While Dracula has many elements of a drama, it was not written for performance on stage,
and is divided into chapters rather than acts and scenes, and therefore it better fits into the novel genre.
The Odyssey
Is it a play (written for performance on stage by actors)? No.
Is it in verse or prose? Yes. Prose.
It is divided into books which are similar to chapters, instead of acts and scenes.
Are there stage directions accompanying the text? No
Is it a story involving conflict or contrast of character? Yes, foreigners vs. Grecian
Does the plot follow the Freytag pyramid? Yes
The Odyssey has some characteristics of a drama, including being written in prose and involving conflict.
It is divided into books, not acts and scenes.
The Odyssey is missing the key characteristics of a drama, such as being divided into acts and scenes, and it
was not intended to be performed on stage by actors and therefore also lacks stage directions.
Snow White
Is it a play (written for performance on stage by actors)? No.
Is it in verse or prose? Yes. Prose.
Because it is so short, it is not divided into smaller portions of text.
Are there stage directions accompanying the text? No
Is it a story involving conflict or contrast of character? Does have conflict and contrasting characters,
but there is not much detail outside of the events of the story.
Does the plot follow the Freytag pyramid? yes, but at a very basic level.
Snow White is written in prose and has conflict, however it is not intended to be performed on stage by actors,
does not include stage directions, and is so short it is not subdivided.
Drama Group: (name & email)
MaryAnn Kile fc9932@wayne.edu
Brian Roudonis fc7545@wayne.edu
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