ANALYSIS OF DRAMA In Preparation for a Production of Beowulf Mrs. Martyn Comp/Lit 12

What does this mean?

How about this?

What is the difference between these two pictures?

A work of art by Van Gogh uses our feelings about the night sky to communicate specific ideas.

We do not question that Van Gogh’s painting has a different meaning, a more focused meaning than a picture of the night sky. We do not question that Van Gogh’s painting has a different meaning, a more focused meaning than a picture of the night sky. In the same way, a production means more than the story it tells. It is this meaning that is the focus of analysis, not the story. In the same way, a production means more than the story it tells. It is this meaning that is the focus of analysis, not the story.

WHAT IS DRAMA?

DRAMA IS: A COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS A COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS TOLD IN THE FORM OF A STORY (with notable exceptions) TOLD IN THE FORM OF A STORY (with notable exceptions) TOLD IN THE FIRST PERSON AS IF THE EVENTS WERE OCCURRING TOLD IN THE FIRST PERSON AS IF THE EVENTS WERE OCCURRING MEANT TO BE SEEN AS A PART OF A GREATER PRODUCTION RATHER THAN READ. MEANT TO BE SEEN AS A PART OF A GREATER PRODUCTION RATHER THAN READ.

Therefore an analysis of drama includes: What ideas are being communicated? What ideas are being communicated? What are the key actions which communicate those ideas? What are the key actions which communicate those ideas? What is the nature of the communication (satire, irony, melodrama etc)? What is the nature of the communication (satire, irony, melodrama etc)? How did (or how will) this particular interpretation of this poem communicate these ideas? How did (or how will) this particular interpretation of this poem communicate these ideas?

Approaches to Analysis For the purposes of this course you will analyze Beowulf from two perspectives: 1. An artist who is communicating an interpretation of a poem for production 2. An audience member who is communicating a reaction to a specific interpretation of a poem which has been produced

In addition, this unit will ask you to look at Beowulf from the perspectives of designers, each of whom need specific kinds of information and generally communicate different (but overlapping) aspects of the overall meaning of the production.

The Parts of drama (Aristotle) Plot: The manner in which the action is arranged. Character: The specific human qualities affecting the action. Thought (idea or theme): The communication of the production LanguageSongSpectacle

–THOUGHT While Aristotle cites Plot as the most important element of drama, thought represents its raison d’etre. Thought refers to the idea which is being communicated by a specific production. Clear articulation of this idea can be done in many ways. We will use dramatic action to communicate Beowulf’s main idea.

DRAMATIC ACTION The dramatic action at its best, articulates the main idea of the story while also suggesting the mood and manner in which that idea is communicated. The dramatic action provides a concise vision of the whole story. It provides a purpose for bringing this story to life in this way.

What am I talking about?: developing a theme We tell our actors that all action on stage must be motivated. The same is true with a production. The communication of a theme motivates the work. Themes are more than abstract ideas such as “love,” “The American Dream” or “death.” Themes reflect a stance or comment on an idea that is significant to the audience.

Story: The story is a series of events which occur in the plot. They may or may not be causally linked. The story is a series of events which occur in the plot. They may or may not be causally linked. The story has a beginning a middle and an end. The story has a beginning a middle and an end. The story consists of all actions which occur in the plot and all characters who appear. The story consists of all actions which occur in the plot and all characters who appear.

Plot The plot is the sequence of events which carry weight of the main idea of the story. The plot is the sequence of events which carry weight of the main idea of the story. Almost every plot involves a character (protagonist) who is attempting to achieve a particular goal and who must overcome obstacles in order to achieve that goal (or goals) and undergoes change as a result of the struggle. Almost every plot involves a character (protagonist) who is attempting to achieve a particular goal and who must overcome obstacles in order to achieve that goal (or goals) and undergoes change as a result of the struggle.

Communicating plot: The plot, like the story, contains a beginning, a middle, and an end. The plot, like the story, contains a beginning, a middle, and an end. The plot is a series of incidents which are causally linked. Thus, not all actions in a play are part of the plot. The plot is a series of incidents which are causally linked. Thus, not all actions in a play are part of the plot. While the plot consists of many actions, it can be defined by 3 actions which occur in a logical sequence and are caused by the prior action. While the plot consists of many actions, it can be defined by 3 actions which occur in a logical sequence and are caused by the prior action.

Thus, you can communicate your plot for your production of Beowulf by identifying the INCITING INCIDENT, THE CRISIS AND THE CLIMAX.

World of the Poem The production concept The world of the poem is a description of the construct you create which simultaneously expresses the production’s theme and the given circumstances of the story. Your production concept should explain any ideas about your approach that all your designers should take into consideration. It is the guide that will inform all design choices in order to create a unified whole.