Drama and Other Literary Form

Drama and Other Literary Forms

Drama and narration

Dramatic play always uses the give and take of dialogue to create interaction. But only in a specific context interaction always takes place. To understand the background of the play sometimes the narrative technique is required within time and place. Most of all the indirect storytelling occur at the beginning of a play which is called exposition. Exposition at the beginning is important to create a mood of a play and also give the information about the whole play. But mostly dramatist conveys their information through different characters and dialogue. It takes place in a specific context or background of the time and place. At this point, drama turns to be narrative. When the storyteller addresses us directly s/he becomes the narrator. The clear form of storytelling occurs at the beginning of the play. It sets the mood of the play and delivers the information about the world of play. Through exposition, the dramatic reveals the information about the affair.

In the narrative device in retrospection is another narrative technique related to the exposition. During the process of action character often look and survey important events that took place before the time of play. In this situation drama again uses the narration device. Sometimes retrospection may lead to the major revelation about the characters and the motivation in their behavior. When the narration is used to convey the action it replaces interaction. Even in the off stages action, narration takes place and a play becomes a story. During narration in the drama a dramatist uses and alternative that is the chorus and choric character who stands like a narrator to reflect on the significance of the events. In Oedipus Rex, Choric characters play a significant role to deliver information to the spectators. Besides pre-play action sometimes narration replaces the interaction to convey the action of the play itself. When off stages action is reported a play becomes most nearly like a story. In the story, narration can comment on character and event if the writer wishes. But the dramatist cannot appear on the stage and give a direct point of view on character and action. In that situation, dramatist can use chorus or choric commentary on characters personages who are relatively detached from the action somewhat like a narrator. For example, in Greek drama chorus performs dysfunction. But the same the chorus opinions are not always to be trusted. In Greek classical theater, there was a scene like bloody and violent are morally and socially prohibited. In conclusion, the storytelling technique in drama to develop its plot is essential basically to create the context, present unpresentable sceneand situation on the play. And tell about the event happen in the past.

Drama and meditation

In some situation like psychological complexity, treachery, plotting and planning and hatred, prevention, anger, difficulties etc. In a drama, the meditative technique is essential when the dramatist often shows the public side of the character but sometimes we can see artistic problem comes when dramatist tries to reveal hidden conflicts, psychological complexity, and problems of the character. During the stage of soliloquy, the character himself is a spectator of his own world. The soliloquy itself becomes the choric commentary. It becomes a means of providing a point of view on other characters and action of the play. That’s why while reading a soliloquy we should closely observe both private revelation and significant form of commentary on others characters and events.

Interaction through dialogue is the basic component of drama. When a dramatist tries to disclose the private side of the character, the narrator of the play can easily solve this problem by telling us the innermost thought of the character. But the dramatist most turn the convention of the poetry in which a character thinks himself/herself when the character in a play falls under a problem, s/he does self-talking in an audible way that is called soliloquy which literary means speaking alone. The soliloquy discloses the private thoughts of the character. Soliloquy gives and expression to a complex state of mind and feeling of the character that is seen doing struggle with the problem. The interaction between characters is replaced by the interaction of the mind. Soliloquy is the way of private revelation of a character and it is an element of meditation in drama. Self-talking of the character on the stage deals with the mental life of the character.

Dramatic monolog is another meditative technique in drama it means speaking alone in the presence of other characters. It is effective in Samuel Beckets “The last Krapp’s tape” in which modern problem and its impact on individual life are presented through monolog. In this way revealing the private side of the character in the drama, meditative state of mind is expressed by creating images and symbols depicting dreams and fantasies. For example, in King Lear, the storm stands for the madness of King Lear suffering from. Finally, the use of the poetic technique of speaking alone, speaking alone reveals the private side which is called drama and meditation.

Drama and persuasion

In the play, there are certain ideas, argumentative points, messages and the information the writer wants to convey and established by the use of persuasion. Unlike in the essay dramatic poet is not always directly revealed by the dramatist rather it is conveyed by the characters and the commentators. In the essay, persuasive points can be found directly and simply stated in certain lines and paragraph but in drama, such points are separated throughout the whole play and also spoken by many characters. For example, in Othello by Shakespeare wants to establish human jealousy, treachery and devilish part of human through the character and their activities known as persuasion in drama. A drama can be a piece of persuasion if it contains a single character addressing ideas directly to the audience. In such a situation it is difficult to differentiate to the play from the lecture. Of course, a dramatist cannot speak in the play except in preface. Interaction as an essence element of the play plays a significant role but at the same time, ideas and thoughts are delivered. Dialogue, plot and character are used to deliver ideas. For this character becomes a spokesman for idea, a form of debating issue. Such kind of play and drama forces audiences or readers to examine the merit of each opinion. As a readers or audience we must be attentive to not only to the motive of character but also to the ideas they delivered. Persuasive drama tries to seek to change our mind.

Reference-

Klaus, C. H. (2013). New York: Oxford University Press.