1. Varieties of Drama
Stage & School Chapter 6

2. Vocabulary
tragedy
a genre of in which the protagonist meets a tragic end, usually through some character flaw
pathos
an identification and pity for the tragic protagonist
hamartia
a character's tragic flaw in personality or judgement
catharsis
an emotional release felt by an audience through pathos with the tragic protagonist

3. comedy
a genre of play in which all of the plot complications come to a pleasing end and the protagonist achieves his/her goal
low comedy
a type of comedy that relies on low humor, like physical gags, for laughs
farce
a very broad sort of comedy in which the characters and the situations are larger than life
high comedy
a type of comedy that relies on witty conversation and clever jokes for laughs
middle comedy
a type of comedy that is a mixture of low and high comedy
comedy of manners
a type of high comedy, popular during the 18th century, that focuses on high society

4. screen scene
farcical scenes in which some actors hide from the others, but are still able to hear the dialogue
aside
a speech spoken directly to the audience that the other actors onstage don't hear
burlesque
a form of low comedy that mocks a broad topic
parody
a type of low comedy that mocks a certain author's work by imitating the style for comic effect
caricature
an exaggeration of an aspect of a character for a literary work
satire
a style of comedy that attacks the ills of society with humor

5. sentimental comedy
18th century genre that was a reaction to the immorality of Restoration drama, presents life as ideal
melodrama
plays based on romantic plots with the primary goal of engaging the audience by any means necessary
play of ideas
a play that deals with a social problem or ethical issue, sometimes proposing a solution
theatrical conventions
something done in the theatre for representing something that would be difficult to show onstage; example: the use of a curtain

6. representational
a form of drama that attempts to create a world of the play without directly involving the audiencethe audience
presentational
a type of drama doesn't try to create an illusion of not being a play, the characters may engage the audience directly
allegory
a form of storytelling that teaches moral concepts through symbolic characters, events or objects

7. Tragedy
If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge? - Shakespeare

8. Aristotle's Definition of Tragic Character
An average or better person who, during the course of the play, is brought from happiness to misery
Through suffering he/she acquires a sense of awareness of truth, of self, or of others
Also becomes alienated and isolated from society
His actions that cause the difficulties are brought about by Hamartia:
A character weakness or error in judgment, also called tragic flaw
Most common form of Hamartia is hubris: excessive pride

9. Five Characteristics often Found in Tragic Characters
They have a flaw or make an error that has serious consequences
They make no apology for their actions
They set goals based on unyielding beliefs
They know that almost everything worth having demands some sacrifice
They are willing to make the sacrifice themselves, never asking another to make sacrifices for them

10. Comedy
Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. – Mark Twain.

11. Comedy Derived from Greek words komos & ode, meaning “revel song”
Usually societal and conciliatory – all the characters come together at the end of the play, even villains. Everyone gets a “happy ending”
Often depends on circumstance unique to a particular time & place.
Built around character, situations, & dialogue
Some bring great laughs
Some only cause inner smiles
Comedy is not always funny, but is always amusing, delighting, or at least pleasing to an audience
Protagonist overcomes opposing forces or achieves desired goals or both
Protagonist is often less-than-average person
Protagonist may be an idealist, a romantic, an extreme pragmatist, a blunderer, a dreamer, or even a rogue

12. Seven Causes of Laughter
Exaggeration - an overstatement; and enlargement of the truth
Incongruity - anything that seems out of place, out of time, or out of character
Anticipation - looking forward to a potential laugh
The plant or foreshadowing – an idea, line or action emphasized early in the play.
The Running Gag – A combination of: 1 the plant, 2 establish, & 3 to clinch.
Incompletion - A line or bit of action that is started but never finished.
The anticlimax or letdown is when excitement about something is built up to great proportions, but nothing ever comes of it.
Ambiguity - double meaning and puns (word play)
Recognition - discovering hidden or obscure meanings
Protection - a situation in which the audience is protected by things are not really happening, such as when a character in a cartoon falls off a cliff and reappears in the next frame without a scratch.
Relief - an easing of pressure

13. Types of Low Comedy
Low -Comedy - that requires little skill in the scripting (if there is a script at all). Often a visual or highly physical work.
Slapstick  - Knockabout, physical humor. Media examples include The Three Stooges, The Marx Bros, Laurel and Hardy and Mr Bean.
Farce  - Ridiculous, improbable situations. Media examples include Fawlty Towers and Monty Python. Middle
Satire -  Comedy that sends up people and events, ridiculing and mocking weaknesses to create the humor.
Parody - Similar to satire, a parody is a work that deliberately imitates another work for comic effect, sometimes delivering a message.
Burlesque – Like farce, burlesque relies on physical comedy and exaggeration. In the US the burlesque evolved into a bawdy variety show.
Caricature - An extension of satire and a cousin of parody. When effective satire is exaggerated to the extreme, caricature is born.

14. Types of High Comedy High Comedy
Intellectual (normally literary) comedy works displaying a sophisticated wit, such as Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
Comedy of Manners
Literary, artistic works comprising sophisticated society satires. From 1660 to about 1700, these plays were also known as Restoration comedies The form was later revived in the 1770s, then again in the 1890s (Oscar Wilde).
Theatre of the Absurd
The insertion and detection of various forms of comedy (vaudeville, physical comedy) in absurdist plays requires a solid understanding of the form. Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is a fine example.
Romantic Comedy
Comedy involving love and romance. Many of Shakespeare’s comedies are romantic comedies.
Musical Comedy
Musical theatre is mostly (not always) comic in some way, hence lighthearted and appealing to the masses.

15. Tragedy vs Comedy
Predictably unpredictable – you can expect the unlikely
Often time and place oriented
Intellectual, mental
Protagonist achieves goals
Protagonist often becomes leader of new society, even villain is usually accepted
Protagonist less than average
Protagonist achieves success, often as a result of own mistakes or shortcomings
Inevitable – there is no way to change or to stop the outcome
Universal theme and appeal
Emotional
Protagonist fails to achieve goals
Protagonist alienate from society
Protagonist average or better
Protagonist falls from leadership, losing respect dreams, position

16. Other types of Drama fantasy
a type of drama that deals with unreal character, dreams and imaginary times and places
romantic comedy
18th century genre that features plots focusing on love affairs between flawless heroes and virtuous heroines, a play that presents an idealized love affair, in the romantic style
romanticism
18th century literary style that focuses on emotions and ideals
sentimental comedy
a type of drama with pure protagonists that was a reaction to the immorality in Restoration drama
melodrama
19th century style of drama marked by its use of stock characters and implausible plots
play of ideas
problem play or social drama
psychological drama
a serious type of drama that focuses on the inner struggles of characters
the “whodunit"
a mystery type of drama
allegory
a play that teaches moral concepts with character that personify abstract qualities or concepts

17. Other types of Drama continued ….
children's theater
drama written, designed, and performed for children
puppet theater
a play featuring puppets as the characters
monodrama
a play written to be performed by a single actor
avant-garde
new and experimental theater
realism
plays attempting to hold a mirror up to life
naturalism
an extreme form of realism that often focuses on the harsh realities of life
symbolism
the use of one thing(e.g. a character) to represent something else(e.g. a certain type of person in society)
expressionism
plays with a message of the uselessness of human hopes and dreams in the face of industry and mechanistic forces
epic theater
a journalistic, non-emotional style of drama developed by Bertholdt Brecht
constructivism
socialist realism, a reaction against realism

18. Other types of Drama continued ….
theater of the absurd
plays written in the 1950's and 1960's by playwrights who believed in the absurdity of human life; closely linked with existentialism
theater of involvement
plays that involve the audience in the action of the play
theatricalism
plays that make no pretense about not being plays; this style says, "This is theater. Accept it for what it is."
total theater
a play that includes a fusion of all the performing arts(dance, mime, atmospheric music, etc.) into one presentation

19. Questions to Answer and Turn In Copy Questions & Answer
Compare the protagonist in a tragedy to the protagonist in a comedy.
What should an audience feel at the end of a tragedy?
List and describe seven causes of laughter.
Describe four types of drama that have characteristics of both comedy and tragedy.
Describe three styles of 2th century theater.
What are some of the devices playwrights use to make people laugh?
What dramatic styles have influenced the theater in the 20th century?
What are some key differences in tragedy & comedy?