A Guide to Drama & Dramatic Literature: Techniques, Terms, and Examples
Drama Terminology
Basic Terms
- Playwright: The person who wrote the play or script.
- Cast: All the characters in the play.
- Dialogue: Conversations spoken aloud between characters.
- Set/Scenery: The construction onstage that suggests the time and place of the action.
- Props: Small, movable items characters hold or use to make the play or characters’ actions seem more realistic.
- Act: A major division of a play. A play can have anywhere from one to five acts.
- Scene: Subplots or subdivisions of an act.
- Stage Directions: Instructions on how to perform the drama. They tell how characters should speak and move and give details about lighting, sound effects, and costumes.
Stage Positions
- Center Stage: The middle of the stage.
- Downstage: Nearest to the audience.
- Upstage: Farthest from the audience.
- Stage Left: The audience’s right.
- Stage Right: The audience’s left.
Types of Speeches
- Monologue: A long speech by one character, addressed to other characters.
- Soliloquy: A long speech by one character, spoken alone on stage, revealing their thoughts and feelings to the audience.
- Aside: A brief remark by a character directly to the audience, unheard by other characters on stage.
Understanding Stage Directions
Stage directions are typically written in italics, bold, or brackets within a script. They help the reader visualize the play by providing information about:
- Characters’ movements and actions
- Tone of voice and delivery of lines
- Lighting, sound effects, and costumes
- Overall atmosphere and mood
Analyzing The Miracle Worker by William Gibson
Characters
- Helen Keller: The main character, deaf and blind.
- Captain Keller: Helen’s father, strict and authoritative.
- Kate Keller: Helen’s mother, loving but often overprotective.
- James Keller: Helen’s stepbrother, skeptical and cynical.
- Mildred Keller: Kate and Captain Keller’s baby daughter.
- Aunt Ev: Helen’s aunt.
- Viney: A servant in the Keller household.
- Martha: A friend of Helen’s.
- Percy: A friend of Helen’s.
- Annie Sullivan: Helen’s teacher, partially blind herself.
- Dr. Anagnos: Annie’s doctor at the Perkins Institute for the Blind.
- Jimmy Sullivan: Annie’s deceased brother.
Conflict
A major conflict in the play is the struggle between Helen’s parents and Annie over the best way to raise and educate Helen. Annie, the protagonist, faces resistance from the Kellers, who represent the antagonist in this conflict. Internally, Annie battles flashbacks of her brother Jimmy, which impact her emotional state.
Symbolism
The key symbolizes Helen’s potential and the barriers she faces. At the beginning, she is like a”locked box” unable to communicate or understand the world. Through Annie’s teaching, she gradually unlocks her potential and gains access to language and knowledge.
Character Development
- Helen: Initially unruly and lacking manners, Helen learns to communicate, behave, and understand the concept of language.
- Annie: Experiences the triumph of successfully teaching Helen, demonstrating her resilience and dedication.
- James: Finds his voice and stands up to his father, showing personal growth.
- Kate and Captain Keller: Come to recognize Annie’s effectiveness and allow her to continue teaching Helen, demonstrating a shift in their perspective.
Key Plot Points
- The Kellers initially spoil Helen, hindering her development.
- Annie emphasizes obedience as the foundation for language learning.
- Helen’s time in the garden house with Annie proves crucial for her progress.
- The water pump scene marks a turning point as Helen grasps the connection between words and their meaning.
Themes
The play explores themes of perseverance, the power of communication, and the importance of believing in human potential. It highlights that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, hope and determination can lead to extraordinary breakthroughs.
Exploring Farce in Visitor from Forest Hills
Characters
- Norma Hubley: The anxious and somewhat overbearing mother of the bride.
- Roy Hubley: The comically cheap and often exasperated father of the bride.
- Mimsey: The bride, overcome with pre-wedding jitters.
- Borden: The calm and collected groom.
Conflict
The play revolves around two central conflicts: Mimsey’s refusal to leave the bathroom due to pre-wedding anxiety and the constant bickering between Norma and Roy, which amplifies the comedic chaos.
Plot Summary
- Exposition: Norma’s frantic phone call to Roy reveals a major problem: Mimsey is locked in the bathroom.
- Rising Action: Roy and Norma’s attempts to coax Mimsey out backfire hilariously. Roy’s attempts to climb through the window and his constant complaints about money add to the farcical nature.
- Climax: Borden arrives and calmly tells Mimsey to”cool it” surprisingly diffusing the situation.
- Falling Action: Mimsey emerges from the bathroom, and Borden reassures her.
- Resolution: The wedding proceeds, despite the earlier chaos, leaving a sense of absurdity and amusement.
Farcical Elements
- Exaggerated Characters: Roy’s cheapness and Norma’s anxiety are amplified for comedic effect.
- Absurd Situations: Mimsey’s prolonged bathroom lockdown and Roy’s attempts to extract her create a ridiculous scenario.
- Fast-Paced Dialogue: The characters’ witty banter and overlapping conversations contribute to the play’s comedic timing.
- Jack-in-the-Box Character: Roy’s recurring complaints about money, like a”jack-in-the-bo” effect, consistently bring laughter.
- Satire: The play pokes fun at the anxieties and absurdities surrounding weddings and family dynamics.
Irony
- Borden’s simple words succeed where Norma and Roy’s frantic efforts fail, highlighting the irony of the situation.
- Roy’s initial reluctance to pay for the wedding venue becomes ironic when Mimsey finally agrees to marry Borden.
Comical Dynamics
Roy and Norma’s constant bickering, fueled by their contrasting personalities and anxieties, provides a steady stream of humor. Their inability to effectively address the situation with Mimsey only adds to the comedic chaos.
Themes
Beneath the surface of its farcical elements, Visitor from Forest Hills touches on themes of marriage, family relationships, and the anxieties that often accompany major life events. It reminds us to find humor in the midst of chaos and to embrace the imperfections that make life both challenging and entertaining.