Structure of Drama

In English literature, the word drama is also known as a play, which is generally performed in a theatre or an auditorium. A drama consists of a different form of writing, which is known as a script. In a script, a dramatic conversation of two or more characters is described in a written form. A drama is usually plotted and presented to the audience with the help of various characters. The characters involve the audience in the drama through their dialogues and acts.

According to the Aristotle, a drama has three phases, including a beginning, middle and end. Over the years, the three-act structure was reformed to a five-act structure. Usually, Shakespeare’s plays or dramas are based on a five-act structure. The five-act structure includes the following stages:

1.  The Exposition: At this stage, the audience is able to understand the whole setting of a drama, including time and place. The characteristics of drama are introduced and their conflicts begin at this phase.

2.   Rising Action: The audience becomes deeply absorbed through the “rising” actions involved in a drama. At this phase, a protagonist confronts obstacles, which is a common situation.

3.  The Climax: This is the crucial part of a play or a drama. A climax is presented with lots of suspense to make the audience anxious.

4.  Falling Action: This phase states that the story is coming to an end. At this stage, an unknown thing or a twist may be revealed.

5.  Denouement: This is the last phase of a drama and the audience will get to know the moral of the story.

Generally, a drama consists of Acts and Scenes. An act explains different scenes in a play or a drama. In a modern drama or a play, you can see units of action and no change in place or no break in the continuity of time. Nowadays, you can see that a drama is structured as a sequence of acts or scenes or episodes.