1. Introduction to Drama Notes 8L – 8R

2. What is Drama?
Drama is a type of literature that is primarily written to be performed for an audience. When reading a play, it is important to keep certain features of drama in mind. Some of these features relate to drama as literature; others reflect its character as a performance.

3. History… Greek Drama 500-400 B.C.
Medieval: The Middle Ages AD
Elizabethan & Jacobean
Restoration & 18th Cent. Drama
Romantic Era
Modern Era 1850-Present
(note that this is slightly different than Modern Literature…)

4. Types of Drama- Tragedy
Tragedy: A play in which the main character experiences disaster, but faces this downfall in such a way as to attain heroic stature.*
Even though Tragedies are “gloomy” they are triumphant, because they inspire greatness as human beings can be seen as heroes even in defeat.

5. Comedy Comedy closes with a peaceful resolution of the main conflict.*
High Comedy: The humor arises from subtle characterization, social satire, and sophisticated wit.
Low Comedy: Emphasizes absurd dialogue, bawdy jokes, visual gags, and physical humor.*

6. Types of Comedy
Romantic Comedy: The main characters are lovers, and the plot tends to follow the pattern of “boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl again.”
Satiric Comedy: Uses humor to ridicule foolish ideas or customs with the purpose of improving society.
Comedy of Manners: Satirizes the vices and follies of the upper class.*

7. Additional Forms of Drama
Farce: Relies on exaggeration, absurdity, and slapstick
Straight Drama or Drama: Deal with serious subjects, but do not always end in disaster.

8. Elements of Drama
External Conflict: Pits a character against nature or fate, society, or another character
Internal conflict: Between opposing forces within a character.
Protagonist: The central character of the play and often undergoes radical changes as the action progresses.*
Antagonist: The character who opposes the main character*

9. Protagonist

10. Antagonist

11. Foil: A minor character whose traits contrast sharply with those of the protagonist
Dialogue: Conversations between characters
Monologue: A long speech spoken by a single character to himself or herself, or to the audience
Soliloquy: A monologue in which a character speaks his or her private thoughts aloud and appears to be unaware of the audience.

12. Aside: a short speech or comment delivered by a character to the audience, but unheard by the other characters who are present.

13. Conventions of Drama
Cast of Characters: listed in the beginning of the play, before the action starts.
Act: a major division of a play
Scenes: sub-division of an act
Stage Directions: a dramatist’s instructions for performing a play
Usually in italics and are performed rather than being read.

15. Death of a Salesman Written in 1949
Won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for best play
Main characters: The Loman Family: Willy, Linda, Biff, and Happy
Setting: Late 1940s; Willy Loman's house; New York City and Barnaby River; Boston
Rich with social commentary about the working class of America and The American Dream of the time

16. Arthur Miller
Born October 17, 1915
Died: February 10, 2005

17. Arthur Miller: Interesting Facts
American playwright and essayist
One of the most notable and prominent playwrights of the 2oth Century.
Won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Many of his plays reflect characters from his own personal life
Was, at one point, married to Marilyn Monroe

18. Death of a Salesman Essay
Prompt: Analyze how Arthur Miller uses Modernist themes of disillusionment, disintegration of a family unit, anxiety and isolation, and/or the benefits and consequences of the American Dream, in his play, Death of a Salesman.
How do these themes reflect the historical context of the time period?
5 paragraphs, 2 pieces of evidence per B. P.
Can either analyze 3 separate themes, or 1
Must connect to historical context and commentary throughout each paragraph

19. DoaS Text Log: page 10L-10R
One page for each topic, label all as page 10
The benefits and consequences of the American Dream
Anxiety and isolation within the individual psyche
Disillusionment
Disintegration of social norms (family, government, politics, and religion).
Page #
Character(s)
Textual example

20. Essay Drafts: pg.17R Use Flee Map – page 17L.
5 paragraphs total, NO COUNTERARGUMENT.
Draft: (*Get scored when you’re done)
Intro: thesis only for the draft
Body paragraph #1: theme, 2 pieces of supporting evidence, & connection to historical context
Body paragraph #2: theme, 2 pieces of supporting evidence, & connection to historical context
Body paragraph #3: theme, 2 pieces of supporting evidence, & connection to historical context
Conclusion – nothing for the draft, only final essay.

21. Example Thesis Statements:
In Death of a Salesman, the playwright, Arthur Miller, uses the themes of disillusionment, disintegration, and anxiety to comment on the poor quality of life many Americans experienced during the Modernist time period.
In Death of a Salesman, the playwright, Arthur Miller, uses Modernist themes to depict the harsh realities of life in the United States in the 1940’s.
In the play, Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller demonstrates how Americans felt disillusioned by their surroundings in the 1940’s as they struggled to achieve the American Dream.