ARISTOTLE’S
Elements of Drama
Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) was a Greek philosopher who was a student of Plato’s and a teacher to Alexander the Great.
His writings had a significant impact on Medieval thought and his views of physics was accepted up until the discoveries of Isaac Newton.
In his famous work on Tragedy, The Poetics, he argued that one of man’s greatest attributes was his ability to Imitate.
The PoeticsIt is believed that The Poetics was comprised of two parts – one on Comedy and one on Tragedy. Only the part on Tragedy survives.
Aristotle believed that Comedy dealt with characters who were worse than the average person in order to elucidate the Ridiculous in society.
He believed that Tragedy dealt with characters who were better and more noble than the average person. This noble person’s “fall” or ruin would induce in the audience pity and fear…this process is called Catharsis. He uses Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” to illustrate his points.
Aristotle’s most profound influence on theatre is his belief that “action” was the most important aspect of a play…even above “character.”
He defined 6 Elements of Drama
Thought/Theme Idea
The Abstract ideas and feelings that the audience experiences while watching the dramatic action.
What the play “means” versus what happens.
Action/PlotWhat happens opposed to what the play “means.”
A pattern of events that are all connected by some sense of unity and clarity and which unfold in a sequence of cause and effect.
The process by which the conflict between the characters is established, explored and ultimately resolved.
Plot has several components: Exposition, Inciting Incident (initial entanglement), rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
Characters
Individual persons involved in the plot…each should be defined by the established and inferred given circumstances: age, appearance, socio economic level, beliefs, etc…
Aristotle emphasized that the characters should always be engaged in “action”…what we would call the pursuit of achieving an objective.
Language
The playwright and actor’s ability to craft a specific and individual “voice” for each character.
A “voice” is composed of word choice, style, content, tone, etc…
Music
This can be literal music…like background music (think of your favorite movie’s score) or in an actual Musical
This can also describe the rhythm of the dialogue. Each play has its own unique tempo and rhythm that can be thought of as music. You’ll have a chance to compare several plays this semester to see how this element is used in different, effective and exciting ways.
Spectacle
This is the visual aspect of the play: costumes, set, make-up, lighting, special effects.
This helps create a specific world and atmosphere of the play.
