Drama  

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 +[[Image:Adrienne Lecouvreur as Cornelia.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''[[Adrienne Lecouvreur as Cornelia]]'' by [[Charles-Antoine Coypel]]]]
 +[[Image:Great Train Robbery still, public domain film.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Great Train Robbery]]'']]
 +[[Image:Melodrama by Daumier.jpg|thumb|200px|right|''[[At the Theater (The Melodrama)]]'' (c. [[1860]]-[[1864|64]]) - [[Honoré Daumier]]]]
{{Template}} {{Template}}
-'''Drama''' is a [[literary form]] involving parts written for [[actor]]s to perform. It is a [[Greek language|Greek]] word meaning "action", drawn from the "to do". 
-Dramas can be performed in various media: live performance, [[radio]], [[film]], and-or [[television]]. "[[Closet drama]]s" are works written in the same form as plays (with dialogue, scenes, and "stage directions"), but meant to be read rather than staged; examples include the plays of [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]], ''[[Manfred]]'' by [[George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron|Byron]], and ''[[Prometheus Unbound]]'' by [[Percy Bysshe Shelley]]. Drama is also often combined with [[music]] and [[dance]], such as in [[opera]] which is sung throughout, musicals which include spoken dialog and songs, or plays that have musical accompaniment. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [Apr 2007]+'''Drama''' is the specific [[Mode (literature)|mode]] of [[fiction]] [[Mimesis|represented]] in [[performance]]. The term comes from a [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] word meaning "[[Action (philosophy)|action]]" ([[Classical Greek]]: δρᾶμα, ''drama''), which is derived from the verb meaning "to do" or "to act" ([[Classical Greek]]: δράω, ''draō''). The enactment of drama in [[theatre]], performed by [[actor]]s on a [[Stage (theatre)|stage]] before an [[audience]], presupposes [[Collaboration|collaborative]] modes of production and a [[collective]] form of reception. The [[Dramatic structure|structure of dramatic texts]], unlike other forms of [[literature]], is directly influenced by this collaborative production and collective reception. The [[English Renaissance theatre|early modern]] [[tragedy]] ''[[Hamlet]]'' ([[1601 in literature|1601]]) by [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] and the [[Theatre of ancient Greece|classical Athenian]] tragedy ''[[Oedipus the King]]'' (c. 429 BCE) by [[Sophocles]] are among the masterpieces of the art of drama.
-== The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations ==+The two masks associated with drama represent the traditional [[Genre|generic]] division between [[Comedy (drama)|comedy]] and [[tragedy]]. They are symbols of the [[ancient Greek]] [[Muses]], [[Thalia (muse)|Thalia]] and [[Melpomene]]. Thalia was the Muse of comedy (the laughing face), while Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy (the weeping face). Considered as a genre of [[poetry]] in general, the dramatic mode has been contrasted with the [[Epic poetry|epic]] and the [[Lyric poetry|lyrical]] modes ever since [[Aristotle]]'s ''[[Poetics (Aristotle)|Poetics]]'' (c. 335 BCE)—the earliest work of [[dramatic theory]].
-[[The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations]]+
-'''''The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations''''' is a descriptive list which was created by [[Georges Polti]] to categorize every dramatic situation that might occur in a story or performance. To do this Polti analyzed classical Greek texts, plus classical and contemporaneous French works. He also analyzed a handful of non-French authors. In his introduction, Polti claims to be continuing the work of [[Carlo Gozzi]], who also identified 36 situations.+The use of "drama" in the narrow sense to designate a specific ''type'' of [[Play (theatre)|play]] dates from the [[Nineteenth-century theatre|19th century]]. Drama in this sense refers to a play that is ''neither'' a comedy nor a tragedy—for example, [[Émile Zola|Zola's]] ''[[Thérèse Raquin]]'' ([[1873 in literature|1873]]) or [[Anton Chekhov|Chekhov's]] ''[[Ivanov (play)|Ivanov]]'' ([[1887 in literature|1887]]). It is this narrow sense that the [[film]] and [[television]] industry and [[film studies]] adopted to describe "[[Drama film|drama]]" as a [[Film genre|genre]] within their respective media. "[[Radio drama]]" has been used in both senses—originally transmitted in a live performance, it has also been used to describe the more high-brow and serious end of the dramatic output of [[radio]].
-This list was published in a book of the same name, which contains extended explanations and examples. The original French-language book was written in the [[19th century]]. An [[English language|English]] translation was published in 1917 and continues to be reprinted to this day. +Drama is often combined with [[music]] and [[dance]]: the drama in [[opera]] is generally sung throughout; [[Musical theatre|musicals]] generally include both spoken [[dialogue]] and [[song]]s; and some forms of drama have [[incidental music]] or musical accompaniment underscoring the dialogue ([[melodrama]] and Japanese [[Noh|Nō]], for example). In certain periods of history (the ancient [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] and modern [[Romanticism|Romantic]]) some dramas have been written to be [[Closet drama|read]] rather than performed. In [[Improvisational theatre|improvisation]], the drama does not pre-exist the moment of performance; performers devise a dramatic script spontaneously before an audience.
 +== See also ==
 +*[[The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations]]
 +*[[Realism (theatre)]]
 +*[[Ekphrasis]]
 +*[[Ancient Greek comedy]]
 +*[[Catharsis]]
 +*[[Satyr play]]
 +==See also==
-The list is popularized as an aid for [[writer]]s, but it is also used by dramatists, [[storyteller]]s and many others. Other similar lists have since been made, some more attuned to modern sensibilities, but Polti's guide remains one of the most popular and enduring.+* [[Applied Drama]]
 +* [[Augustan drama]]
 +* [[Christian drama]]
 +* [[Closet drama]]
 +* [[Costume drama]]
 +* [[Crime drama]]
 +* [[Domestic drama]]
 +* [[Dramatic structure]]
 +* [[Dramatic theory]]
 +* [[Flash drama]]
 +* [[Folk play]]
 +* [[Heroic drama]]
 +* [[History of theatre]]
 +* [[Legal drama]]
 +* [[Medical drama]]
 +* [[Melodrama]]
 +* [[Monodrama]]
 +* [[Mystery play]]
 +* [[One act play]]
 +* [[Play (theatre)|Play]]
 +* [[Political drama]]
 +* [[Radio drama]]
 +* [[Soap opera]]
 +* [[Two-hander]]
 +* [[Verse drama and dramatic verse]]
 +* [[Well-made play]]
 +* [[Yakshagana]]—An Indian musical drama
-== The 36 Situations ==+{{GFDL}}
-# Supplication+
-#* a Persecutor; a Supplicant; a Power in authority, whose decision is doubtful.+
-# Deliverance+
-#* an Unfortunate; a Threatener; a Rescuer+
-# Crime pursued by vengeance+
-#* an Avenger; a Criminal+
-# Vengeance taken for kin upon kin+
-#* an Avenging Kinsman; Guilty Kinsman; remembrance of the Victim, a relative of both+
-# Pursuit+
-#* Punishment; a Fugitive+
-# Disaster+
-#* a Vanquished Power; a Victorious Enemy ''or'' a Messenger+
-# Falling prey to cruelty/misfortune+
-#* an Unfortunate; a Master ''or'' a Misfortune+
-# Revolt+
-#* a Tyrant; a Conspirator+
-# Daring enterprise+
-#* a Bold Leader; an Object; an Adversary+
-# Abduction+
-#* an Abductor; the Abducted; a Guardian+
-# The enigma+
-#* an Interrogator; a Seeker; a Problem+
-# Obtaining+
-#* (a Solicitor & an Adversary who is refusing) ''or'' (an Arbitrator & Opposing Parties)+
-# Enmity of kin+
-#* a Malevolent Kinsman; a Hatred ''or'' a reciprocally-hating Kinsman+
-# Rivalry of kin+
-#* the Preferred Kinsman; the Rejected Kinsman; the Object of Rivalry+
-# Murderous adultery+
-#* two Adulterers; a Betrayed Spouse+
-# Madness+
-#* a Madman; a Victim+
-# Fatal imprudence+
-#* the Imprudent; a Victim ''or'' an Object Lost+
-# Involuntary crimes of love+
-#* a Lover; a Beloved; a Revealer+
-# Slaying of kin unrecognized+
-#* the Slayer; an Unrecognized Victim+
-# Self-sacrifice for an ideal+
-#* a Hero; an Ideal; a Creditor ''or'' a Person/Thing sacrificed+
-# Self-sacrifice for kin+
-#* a Hero; a Kinsman; a Creditor ''or'' a Person/Thing sacrificed+
-# All sacrificed for passion+
-#* a Lover; an Object of fatal Passion; the Person/Thing sacrificed+
-# Necessity of sacrificing loved ones+
-#* a Hero; a Beloved Victim; the Necessity for the Sacrifice+
-# Rivalry of superior v. inferior+
-#* a Superior Rival; an Inferior Rival; the Object of Rivalry+
-# Adultery+
-#* two Adulterers; a Deceived Spouse+
-# Crimes of love+
-#* a Lover; the Beloved+
-# Discovery of the dishonour of a loved one+
-#* a Discoverer; the Guilty One+
-# Obstacles to love+
-#* two Lovers; an Obstacle+
-# An enemy loved+
-#* a Lover; the Beloved Enemy; the Hater+
-# Ambition+
-#* an Ambitious Person; a Thing Coveted; an Adversary+
-# Conflict with a god+
-#* a Mortal; an Immortal+
-# Mistaken jealousy+
-#* a Jealous One; an Object of whose Possession He is Jealous; a Supposed Accomplice; a Cause ''or'' an Author of the Mistake+
-# Erroneous judgement+
-#* a Mistaken One; a Victim of the Mistake; a Cause ''or'' Author of the Mistake; the Guilty One+
-# Remorse+
-#* a Culprit; a Victim ''or'' the Sin; an Interrogator+
-# Recovery of a lost one+
-#* a Seeker; the One Found+
-# Loss of loved ones+
-#* a Kinsman Slain; a Kinsman Spectator; an Executioner+

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Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" (Classical Greek: δρᾶμα, drama), which is derived from the verb meaning "to do" or "to act" (Classical Greek: δράω, draō). The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective form of reception. The structure of dramatic texts, unlike other forms of literature, is directly influenced by this collaborative production and collective reception. The early modern tragedy Hamlet (1601) by Shakespeare and the classical Athenian tragedy Oedipus the King (c. 429 BCE) by Sophocles are among the masterpieces of the art of drama.

The two masks associated with drama represent the traditional generic division between comedy and tragedy. They are symbols of the ancient Greek Muses, Thalia and Melpomene. Thalia was the Muse of comedy (the laughing face), while Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy (the weeping face). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been contrasted with the epic and the lyrical modes ever since Aristotle's Poetics (c. 335 BCE)—the earliest work of dramatic theory.

The use of "drama" in the narrow sense to designate a specific type of play dates from the 19th century. Drama in this sense refers to a play that is neither a comedy nor a tragedy—for example, Zola's Thérèse Raquin (1873) or Chekhov's Ivanov (1887). It is this narrow sense that the film and television industry and film studies adopted to describe "drama" as a genre within their respective media. "Radio drama" has been used in both senses—originally transmitted in a live performance, it has also been used to describe the more high-brow and serious end of the dramatic output of radio.

Drama is often combined with music and dance: the drama in opera is generally sung throughout; musicals generally include both spoken dialogue and songs; and some forms of drama have incidental music or musical accompaniment underscoring the dialogue (melodrama and Japanese Nō, for example). In certain periods of history (the ancient Roman and modern Romantic) some dramas have been written to be read rather than performed. In improvisation, the drama does not pre-exist the moment of performance; performers devise a dramatic script spontaneously before an audience.

See also

See also


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