Analyzing Dramatic Literature

1. Analyzing Dramatic Literature Ms. Lilly English 11 HL IB Based on “Basics of English Studies” http://www.anglistik.uni-freiburg.de/intranet/englishbasics/Home01.htm

2. Basic terms: Define the following • Feature • Device • Convention • Staging • Structure • Literary • Dramatic Obvious? Share what you think the terms mean

3. Terms combined: New Meaning? • Literary features • Literary devices • Staging conventions • Literary Structure • Dramatic Structure • Add Dramatis Personae • ALL HAVE A PURPOSE

4. Ways of “seeing” dramatic texts • In a performance, we have a multi-media representation, requiring little audience interpretation • In a reading, we have to fill in the interpretation without losing sight of the effect of staging; the “audience” must provide the interpretation • Terminology is helpful in describing read texts

5. Dramatic Structure: Primary • Two essential parts of the text: primary and secondary • Primary structure: What the characters say in: • Dialogue • Monologue • Soliloquy • Aside

6. Characterization • Recall: Direct vs. Indirect characterization • REMEMBER: in plays, characters form the action – their words, interactions, reactions – in a dynamic and interactive process that is not clearly described but inferred by actors/directors/audience • Consider how “natural” are the utterances and to whom the speaker is directed

7. Perspective • Whose views dominate the text (in dialogue, monologue, or soliloquy)? • Chorus • Main character • Minor character • What is the focus of the character’s view? • What is the purpose of that view?

8. Characters : You should know… • Major vs. minor characters • What role do the minor characters play? (advance plot, serve as foil, elicit/illuminate features) • Protagonist vs antagonist (and know when the rules/definitions don’t fit) • General traits • Dynamic (changing) vs. Static (not changing) • Round (multi-dimensional) vs. Flat (one-dimensional) • Types (archetypes, stereotypes – flat) • Foils

9. Dramatic Structure: Secondary Secondary Structure: all but the actual characters speaking • The list of characters with any proscribed traits • The scene descriptions • The stage directions (movement, emotion)

10. constellations vs configurations • Constellations: overall character groupings • who belongs to whom: Sympathies and Antipathies (loves and hates) • Configurations: sequential presentation on stage – when does a character arrive? With whom? Alone? With whom does a character interact on stage? • What do these tell us about meaning?

11. Dramatic Conventions • Structurally, you may have a story frame: • Exposition (who, where, what, when, why) • Rising action (how we’re building toward…complexity) • Climax (the change of direction, or catastrophe begins) • Falling action (delays in the inevitable…) • Resolution (inevitable or surprise ending) • If staged, an audience gets information from the set that contributes to exposition • Note if the plot is linear or non-linear (?) • Some will not follow this “linear” progression in SPACE, TIME

12. Dramatic Conventions • Closed vs. Open structure • Closed: “the individual acts of a play are tightly connected and logically built on one another, finally leading to a clear resolution of the plot” • Open: “scenes only loosely hang together and are even exchangeable at times and where the ending does not really bring about any conclusive solution or result” (Lethbridge & Mildorf) • Unities: follows or neglects linearity of time, place, or plot • Poetic Justice: follows or neglects poetic justice for bad guy

13. Space: Setting and Staging • How is the scene described? With great or minimal detail? What is there vs. absent? • What props are described? absent? • What lighting is described? absent? • What is described by words rather than props? • In all cases: To what effect? What may be analogous, symbolic, or metaphorical in the setting?

14. Time: When and for how long? • What cues are given to indicate time, or time passing? • Duration: Played time (time for story to unfold) vs. playing time (time it took stage the play) • How is time left out (gaps dismissed)? • How is time sped up? Slowed down? Paused? • What role does flashback play?*

15. Staging: Ancient/Classical • Greek classicism • Amphitheater and large crowds • Characters symbolic, defined, loud and large! • “Natural” lighting led to lack of effects • Not intended to be “real” • Chorus function to comment, instruct, warn, advise • Plays as ceremonial, symbolic (men only!)

16. Staging: Progression • Medieval – morality plays, also rituals, symbolic; variety of audience sizes / tastes • Renaissance – semi-indoor “apron” stage; close audience that required engagement • engagement through asides and soliloquies • Appeal to wide audiences (higher to lower classes) • Generally large theatres • Restoration – smaller theatres, artificial lighting, but not realistic; rather stylized; audience AND stage illuminated by lamps – no division

17. Staging: Modern • Modern staging • Proscenium stage – like looking at a picture • Curtain / ramp divides audience from actor • Stage illuminated; audience in the dark • Allows for “realism” • Not all “modern” plays are realist • Alternative staging (in the round, etc)

18. Comedy vs. Tragedy • It all comes down to the ending: • Tragedy: everyone (or almost everyone) dies • Comedy: the conflict is “resolved” – not necessarily happily, but without EVERYONE dying!

19. Comedy High (intellect) Low (situation, farce) Romantic (love, extremes) Satiric / critical Manners – satire of higher classes Farce - exaggerated Melodrama Tragedy Revenge / blood Domestic / bourgeois Tragicomedy Sub-genres

20. Review terms • Literary features • Literary devices • Conventions • Characterization • Staging • Time • Genre (boxes vs. beyond categories) • New: tension? Intensity? Suspense • Narration? Dialogue? • Physical vs. Subliminal (emotional, mood, psychological)