Theater & Drama: Genres, Elements, and Characteristics

Understanding the Theater Genre: Characteristics and Evolution

According to Peter Brook, the word "theater" carries vague meanings; it is not precisely a single place in many societies, and its purpose is not entirely delimited. Historically, the most prominent aspects of theater were those related to religious grounds, as it shaped social life and addressed complex issues revolving around the relationship between gods and humans. The path of theater leads it to focus with greater interest on human problems.

Key Elements of a Theatrical Text

1. Dramatic Structure

The dramatic action is typically divided into acts, which correspond to different moments of dramatic tension. Events are organized into scenes, fragments defined by the entry and exit of characters.

2. Characters

In their typology and function, characters in theater are similar to those in the narrative genre. However, here, characters are known only by what they say and do, as there is no narrative voice.

3. Dialogue

The characters' speech can appear in different forms:

• Dialogue: Conversation between characters.
• Soliloquy: A character reflects by expressing their thoughts aloud.
• Reported Monologue: Echoes narrative elements not directly represented on stage.
• Aside: A character speaks directly to the audience or to another character without others on stage hearing.
• Apparent Monologue: A character speaks with another character who is offstage.

4. Stage Directions

These are the indications written by the author about the intentions a character should convey or actions they should perform.

Understanding Drama: Tragedy and Comedy

Aristotle defined drama as a function consisting of the imitation of human action. He pointed out two major forms in dramatic art:

1. Tragedy

Tragedy represented human reality in an elevated or excessive manner, presenting an ennobled action that moved in the shadow of profound significance and often designated divinity.

Characteristics of Tragedy:

• Dealt with memorable events and actions.
• Protagonists were of elevated condition.
• Focused on major conflicts facing the hero, often with fate.
• Had a tragic ending.
• Language was cultivated, careful, and solemn.

2. Comedy

Comedy aimed to represent humans at their worst, establishing a critical distance, often through irony or parody, between real life and the represented.

Characteristics of Comedy:

• Focused on light-hearted, amusing events.
• Protagonists were of various social conditions.
• Intended to bring entertainment and laughter to viewers.
• Had a happy ending.
• Language was generally straightforward.

Tragicomedy: The Hybrid Dramatic Genre

Tragicomedy is a hybrid genre in which a painful conflict arises, but its development includes comical elements that lighten the dramatic action. Some critics understand that the action in tragicomedy is located closer to human experience than in pure tragedy, and it often presents death as a factor that destroys equilibrium.