Example Intrusion Detection

Drama is a term derived from a Greek word meaning “action” or “to do”. It is concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using a combination of any one or more elements of the other performing arts such as speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle. Drama concerns the written text or script for the performance. On the other hand, theatre concerns the performance of this script. Many of the most valued and prominent works of literature world-wide have been dramas. It is pertinent that we now consider briefly what the characteristics of drama are.

3.3.1 Characteristics of Drama

Most types of literature (novels, short stories, and poems) are written to be read, usually in silence by a solitary reader. Works of drama (also called plays), are also often read in this manner, however, they are created primarily to be enacted on a stage before an audience by a group of performers. During acting, each performer pretends to be one of the characters in the story the play is narrating. The structure of dramatic texts is directly influenced by this attribute of drama.

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There are certain things you must note in the structure of drama, these are:

dialogue, lines, stage directions and setting. Dialogue refers to the words spoken by the characters in the play, while the suggestions of how the performers speak these dialogues, is referred to as their lines. The stage directions refer to how and when the performers enter or exit the stage. The setting is the description of the costumes or physical surroundings on stage.

3.3.2 Elements of Drama

The elements of drama are the components which make up the drama; they include the story and the means by which it is told. These components are: the plot, character, thought, language, and spectacle.

• The plot: Also referred to as the storyline, is the basic story or sequence of events in the drama.

• The Character: This refers to the person being portrayed in the drama.

• The Thought: This is also the theme of the drama. It is the intention or the philosophical idea behind the drama.

• Language: This refers to the vocabulary and style in which the drama is delivered. It also includes the gestures and non-verbal communication used.

• The spectacle: This is the performance or display of the drama. It is the actual way in which the drama is delivered to the audience.

3.3.3 Kinds of Drama

Drama is commonly categorized into two broad groups, namely, comedy and tragedy. The division was established by the Greeks, hence, symbols of the ancient Greek Muses, Thalia and Melpomene, are still used today. Thalia was the Muse of comedy (the laughing face), while Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy (the weeping face).

Usually, a tragedy is dominated by a solemn tone and it deals with idealistic issues, and usually ends with the death of the leading character. In contrast, comedy focuses on the lighter side of life. It usually evokes laughter (or at least amusement or entertainment). A comedy generally has a happy ending and most times it ends with the reunion of a pair of young lovers. A third type known as tragicomedy which is a blend of the elements and aspects of the two kinds of theatre was later evolved.

3.3.4 Forms of Drama

Drama comes in different forms of which opera, pantomime and Creative Drama are examples. These forms of drama are explained below.

• Opera

Opera is a dramatic art form, in which both music and theatre are combined. In opera, the text of the drama is set to music and it is performed on stage. The texts of operas are sung, with singing and stage action nearly always given instrumental accompaniment. Many operas also feature instrumental interludes and dance scenes as well.

• Pantomime (or Mime)

Pantomime or mime is the art of dramatic representation by means of facial expressions and body movements rather than words. The performer uses gesture to communicate and does not speak during performance. Pantomime is believed to have developed in the great open-air theatre of ancient Greece and Rome where it was easier for the audience to see more than it could hear the performers.

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The stories enacted in a pantomime performance usually follow in the tradition of fables and folk tales. The performance is not only entertaining, it is also edifying as there is normally a lesson to be learnt.

In a mime, the hero and heroine aided by the audience normally save the day.

Pantomime is a kind of improvised comedy which often focuses on moral dilemmas. In pantomimes, good always triumphs over evil.

• Creative Drama

Creative drama includes dramatic activities and games used primarily in educational settings involving children. Its is said to have its roots in the United States and it is said to have been introduced in the early 1900s. Winifred Ward who is credited with the establishment of the first academic use of drama in Evanston, Illinois is also named as the founder of creative drama in education.

Self Assessment Exercise 2

What do you understand by the term drama? Differentiate between the different forms of drama.