Modern Play Introduction

Classic Drama 1. Greek Drama is the base of all drama. Modern drama of course is based upon classic drama, but there are some new elements in it. 2. Classical Drama (tragedy) preserves three unities – one time span, one setting, and one story, Shakespearean tragedies are excepted. 3. The protagonist in classical drama is from elite class or higher estate. 4. Tragic flaw, bloodshed, disaster, and death are the common elements. 5. The incidents of the tragedy rotates with the protagonist.

Modern Play 1. The style of tragedy greatly changed after the World War II. 2. Fewer characters, less use of bloodshed, off stage death, and much use of irony became trend. 3. Each role in modern tragedy became important. 4. Modern dramatists: Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill.

Number and Impact of Characters 1. In Classical drama the protagonist faces his downfall because of his tragic flaw, for example Dr. Faustus. Fate is the reason for his tragic-flaw. In modern tragedy the traditional tragic-flaw remains intact. For example, the tragic-flaw of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, Man himself is the main reason behind his tragic-flaw. Classical tragedy contains a lot of characters. Other characters show less impact in drama compared to the protagonist. For example, Antigone. Modern drama contains a few number of characters. Most of them have much impact in drama. For example, Desire under the Elms.

Violence and Death Scenes Classical Tragedies are full of on-stage death and violence. For example, Macbeth. Modern tragedy lacks violence, and specially death. Off-stage death is the popular trend. Example, Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Ephraim in Desire under the Elms. Characters in classical tragedies are mainly from the royal or elite families. For example, Hamlet, Antigone, and King Lear. Modern tragedy focuses mainly upon the life of common people. Characters are mainly from the middle class, for example: Desire under the Elms.

Setting, Catharsis, and Concept Timeline and place-setting in classical drama are very large. The basic concept is vengeance, as in Hamlet. Time is very limited in modern drama, place-setting is quite smaller and life-struggle of common people is the basic concept. In both classic and modern tragedy catharsis is a common feature. For example Dr. Faustus and Death of a Salesman. In modern drama being alive can also originate catharsis. For example: Vladimir and Estragon in Waiting for Godot.