Lets first think, what is drama? What do you think we are going to study this semester?

1. When we say drama, what comes to your mind???????? Lets first think, what is drama?What do you think we are going to study this semester?

2. Who is Aristotle Aristotle was born in Macedonia, Greece in 384 BC. He was a student at Plato's Academy and later became one of the greatest philosophers of Ancient Greece. In one of his treatises, The Poetics, he outlines the Six Elements Of Drama, based on the Ancient Greek belief that tragedy was the highest form of Drama. This outline has become a guideline for many playwrights throughout history, and is especially emphasized in the works of William Shakespeare.

3. Definition of Drama A composition, in prose or poetry, accommodated to action, and intended to exhibit a picture of human life, or to depict a series of grave or humorous actions of more than ordinary interest, tending toward some striking result. It is commonly designed to be spoken and represented by actors on the stage.

4. Aristotle’ definition of Tragedy “A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as havingmagnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language;...in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear,wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.”

5. Aristotle’s Six Elements of Drama • THEME – what the play means as opposed to what happens (plot); the main idea within the play PLOT – what happens in a play; the order of events, the story as opposed to the theme; what happens rather than what it means. • CHARACTER – the personality or the part an actor represents in a play; a role played by an actor in a play

6. MUSIC/RHYTHM –by music Aristotle meant the sound, rhythm and melody of the speeches. DICTION/DIALOGUE –the word choices made by the playwright and the enunciation of the actors delivering the lines. • SPECTACLE – the visual elements of the production of a play; the scenery, costumes, and special effects in a production.

7. Exposition: introduces characters and setting; provides basic information about relationships between characters and an initial conflict between them.The moods and conditions existing at the beginning of the play. Setting(time and place) will be established • Exciting Force • Also sometimes called the complication, the exciting force is what getsthe action moving. This will begin the conflict that will continue the play.

8. Rising Action suspense builds;  "the plot thickens."  Characters make decisions in response to the opening conflict; these decisions complicate the action. These series of events lead to the climax of the play. These events will arouse audience interest and usually last for more than one act. • Climax or Turning Point • The moment of greatest tension of the play. From this point on characters or circumstances change (for the worse or the better) due to an action upon which the main plot hinges. 

9. Falling Action Events occurring from the climax to the hero’s death. These events will show both advances and declines in the various forces acting upon the hero and usually last for more than one act. the unraveling of complications leads to the resolution of conflict