Elements of Drama

Drama or play is written intentionally for stage performance. There are eight main elements of drama necessary for the successful production of a play. These essential elements are:

1. Plot:

This is the storyline of the play. It is the structure of the play or the series of events that make up the story. The plot structure can be divided into six stages:

i. The Exposition: This is an introductory part of the play that provides background information for the understanding of the play.

ii. The Conflict: It is the event that initiates the action of the play.

iii. The Complication: This is the stage where the events in the play become more complicated. The action rises, new discoveries are made, which further complicates the storyline.

iv. The Climax: This is the Peak of the storyline as it is the stage that witnesses the greatest crisis in the play.

v. The Anti-Climax: This is a point of falling action in the narration of the story. It is a series of events following the climax that leads to the solution of the conflict. At this stage, there is a lessening of the heightened tension.

vi. The Denouement: It is the conclusion of the plot where the conflicts are unravelled or resolved.

2. Characters:

These are the people or animals who act in the play. They can be categorized into three according to their roles in the play.