Drama NotesDrama Notes

Please put in your English 8 Please put in your English 8 notebook!notebook!

Basic dramatic principlesBasic dramatic principles::

Conflict, complications, climax, Conflict, complications, climax, resolutionresolution

Same as Story PlotSame as Story Plot

Crisis:Crisis:

A situation of danger or difficulty that A situation of danger or difficulty that places at risk something of great places at risk something of great value to the characters.value to the characters.

Examples: life, love, family, pride, Examples: life, love, family, pride, anything precious to a personanything precious to a person

Plays center on Plays center on changechange: :

In characters (and their personal In characters (and their personal conflicts)conflicts)

In relationships (and their conflicts In relationships (and their conflicts with others)with others)

In society (and natural conflicts In society (and natural conflicts among the dynamics of people)among the dynamics of people)

Irony:Irony:

A contrast between expectation and A contrast between expectation and realityreality

Example:Example:It is ironic that a person should get a It is ironic that a person should get a

comb the day after he shaved his head. comb the day after he shaved his head.

Dramatic Irony:Dramatic Irony:

Occurs when the people watching Occurs when the people watching the play know something that the the play know something that the characters onstage do not knowcharacters onstage do not know

Example:Example:We know Anne Frank isn’t going to We know Anne Frank isn’t going to

survive the Holocaust the entire play, survive the Holocaust the entire play, yet she is still full of so much hope.yet she is still full of so much hope.

Dynamic character:Dynamic character:

Changes dramatically as a result of a Changes dramatically as a result of a story’s eventsstory’s events

Age, behavior, beliefs, valuesAge, behavior, beliefs, values

Static character:Static character:

Does not change much in the course Does not change much in the course of the story…may change a little due of the story…may change a little due to natural causesto natural causes

Age, morals, beliefs behaviorAge, morals, beliefs behavior

Flashback:Flashback:

Interruption in the present action of a Interruption in the present action of a plot to show events that happened at plot to show events that happened at an earlier time.an earlier time.

Example:Example:The beginning of “The Diary of Anne The beginning of “The Diary of Anne

Frank”Frank”