DRAMATIC GENRES

TRAGEDY COMEDY TRAGI-COMEDY MELODRAMA DRAME FARCE

TRAGEDY Tragedy focuses on the individual. It presents the world in a state of disruption, which,

through a series of misfortunes, is transformed at the end, opening up the possibility of a new situation.

The audience learns about events simultaneously with the hero: The audience does not know how the conflict will

be resolved and must rely on the heros actions, thus identifying with his suffering and actions.

That provides for suspense, fear, intensity of feeling. It presents the misfortunes of a human being (tragic

hero) in his/her aspiration for a higher aim or ideal. In his attempt to improve himself or the world around

him, he makes a mistake or an error of judgement (tragic error).

The tragic error leads to his fall and eventual physical destruction.In the course of tragedy a discovery or reversal of fortune takes place that changes the fate or sign of the hero.

Tragic heroes follow their desire or objective up to its ultimate consequences, even though it normally means their death.

The heros destruction brings about the regeneration of society, so that his suffering is not in vain.

The audience experiences catharsis from being witness of the heros suffering: empathy for the hero.

COMEDY

Comedy focuses on society. Movement of comedy: from initial harmony, towards

chaos and disruption, restoring that initial harmony at the end.

Social order is disrupted and restored: thus the idea of a happy ending.

Comedy relies on anticipation: the audience knows what is going to happen before the characters on stage do.

That provides for humour and relief, since the audience knows in advance the resolution of the conflict.

The path and rhythm of comedy is faster than that of real life.

Characters are stereotypes associated to social class or behaviour.

TRAGI-COMEDY

Combination of tragic and comic elements. The action moves from initial tragedy into a

final happy ending indicating reconciliation. There is no individual tragic hero, but a hero

in pursuit of an goal: love, ambition, revenge, etc.

It does not follow the unities of action, time and place.

The plots are associated to romance and adventure, magic and the supernatural.

MELODRAMA A play with music. It is articulated through the opposition of a

hero and a villain (protagonist / antagonist). The protagonist suffers but triumphs in the

end. The antagonist causes destruction and

suffering, but is defeated at the end. Melodrama portrays a serious action

containing adventure, danger, suspense, last minute resolutions or reversals.

Poetic justice: each character gets what he/she deserves according to their acts and behaviour.

The fight between good and evil is always resolved in favour of good.

Characters are one-dimensional: they follow one goal straightforwardly.

Characters are condition by their social context

Conflicts presented are domestic and taken from daily life.

The plot revolves around tension, thrill, excitement.

It depicts highly charged emotional moments and sensational situations.

DRAME

It deals with human beings in contemporary situations and everyday life situations.

Characters must confront their own realities and social circumstances.

The subject matter of these plays is serious. It focuses on the treatment of social issues

and society. Endings are ambiguous, verging on the

comic and the tragic.

Characters are common people. They normally belong to a specific social

class, acting as prototypes. Drame explores human conduct and

behaviour in specific circumstances. It does so in realistic terms: characters

have realistic motivations. Plot relies on tension and suspense, also

in realistic terms. It is considered an intellectual genre

capable of inspiring debate and thought about the issues presented.

FARCE Type of comedy that relies on action rather

than dialogue. Action in farce is physical, including slapping,

slapstick, running, hiding in closets, etc. It is a comedy of situations: bedroom farce. It appeals to basic human instincts: sexual,

moral, etc. Characters are presented as lower than

human beings, close to animals. The aim of farce is to ridicule its characters.

Plots and actions are ammoral: there is no edifying human learning at the end.

It presents a chaotic universe where human rules do not apply.

The action presented on stage is normally violent, though filtered by humourous and absurd situations.

Absurdity is a major source of humour, both at the levels of dialogue and action.

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