Republic of the Philippines

Bicol University
College of Education
Daraga, Albay

____________________________________________________________________________________________

RATIONALE:

This module was designed and written to the students containing tools and
knowledge about the different elements of drama. By knowing all of these, students
had an idea about its purpose, build their self-esteem, communication skills and
recognize their potential for success through the act of performing and creating
script.

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module the learners are expected to:

• Identify the elements of drama
• Explain and describe each element based on their insights
• Create an original scripted role play or short drama

WHAT I KNOW (Pre-Assessment)

GUESS WHAT?
Choose only the letter from the option below. Write your answer on the blank provided
at the right side of the statement.
1. It is the time and place where the drama occurs. ____________

a. setting c. plot
b. character d. genre

2. The one who portrayed in the written script. __________

a. dialogue c. character
b. climax d. convention

3. It is the layout or sequence of how the story of your drama unfolds. ____
a. conflict c. theme
b. plot d. dialogue

4. Overall sense of your drama’s story. _____________

a. genre c. climax
b. plot d. theme

5. The story of a play is narrated to the audiences through the interaction

between the plays characters with the form of? ____________
a. dialogue c. theme
b. spectacle d. audience

6.Occur when a character cannot achieve an objective due to an obstacle. __

a. setting c. rhythm/music
b. conflict d. genre

7. The most significant moment of tension or conflict in a drama. _________

a. plot c. spectacle
 b. climax d. theme

8. One of the most important elements of drama, since the story revolve
around them. ________
a. character c. dialogue
b. convention d. theme

9. The most intense part of the play. ____________

a. rhythm/music c. climax
b. genre d. audience

10. It refers to the central idea of the play. _______

a. genre c. character
b. convention d. theme

11. Consider the most important element in drama. __________

a. plot c. rhythm/music
b. audience d. convention

12. Historical play is an example of what element. _________

a. genre c. character
b. setting d. climax

13. It is a techniques and methods used by the playwright and director to

create the desired stylistic effect. _____________
a. plot c. convention
b. theme d. dialogue
14. It is the timing and pace, it also follows the emotional state of one or more characters
and use of formal song is determine solely by dramatic appropriateness. ___________
a. rhythm/ music c. genre
b. convention d. character

15. It is the special effect sees in the play. __________

a. theme c. plot
b. spectacle d. conflict

WHAT IS IT

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime,
ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television. ... The term "drama" comes
from a Greek word meaning "action" (Classical Greek: δρᾶμα, drama), which is derived
from "I do" (Classical Greek: δράω, drao).

ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

THEME
The theme of a play refers to its central idea. It can either be clearly stated through dialogue or
action, or can be inferred after watching the entire performance. The theme is the philosophy
that forms the base of the story or a moral lesson that the characters learn. It is the message
that the play gives to the audience. For example, the theme of a play could be of how greed leads
to one’s destroyal, or how the wrong use of authority ultimately results in the end of power. The
theme of a play could be blind love or the strength of selfless love and sacrifise, or true friendship.
For example, the play Romeo and Juliet, is based on a brutal and overpowering romantic love
between Romeo and Juliet that forces them to go to extremes, finally leading them to self-
destruction.

PLOT
The order of events occurring in a play make its plot. Essentially, the plot is the story that the
play narrates. The entertainment value of a play depends largely on the sequence of events in
the story. The connection between the events and the characters in them form an integral part
of the plot. What the characters do, how they interact, the course of their lives as narrated by
the story, and what happens to them in the end, constitutes the plot. A struggle between two
individuals, the relation between them, a struggle with self, a dilemma, or any form of conflict of
one character with himself or another character in the play, goes into forming the story’s plot.
The story unfolds through a series of incidents that share a cause-and-effect relationship.
Generally, a story begins with exposing the past or background of the main and other characters,
and the point of conflict, then proceeds to giving the central theme or climax. Then come the
consequences of the climax and the play ends with a conclusion.

CHARACTERS
The characters that form a part of the story are interwoven with the plot of the drama. Each
character in a play has a personality of its own and a set of principles and beliefs. Actors in the
play have the responsibility of bringing the characters to life. The main character in the play who
the audience identifies with, is the protagonist. He/she represents the theme of the play. The
character that the protagonist conflicts with, is the antagonist or villain. While some characters
play an active role throughout the story, some are only meant to take the story forward and some
others appear only in certain parts of the story and may or may not have a significant role in it.
Sometimes, these characters are of help in making the audiences focus on the play’s theme or
main characters. The way in which the characters are portrayed and developed is known as
characterization. Here is a list of characters in Romeo and Juliet.

DIALOGUE
The story of a play is taken forward by means of dialogs. The story is narrated to the audiences
through the interaction between the play’s characters, which is in the form of dialogs. The
contents of the dialogs and the quality of their delivery have a major role to play in the impact
that the play has on the audiences. It is through the dialogs between characters that the story
can be understood. They are important in revealing the personalities of the characters. The words
used, the accent, tone, pattern of speech, and even the pauses in speech, say a lot about the
character and help reveal not just his personality, but also his social status, past, and family
background as given by the play. Monologues and soliloquies that are speeches given to oneself
or to other characters help put forward points that would have been difficult to express through
dialogs. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet”
from Romeo and Juliet in which Juliet tells Romeo of the insignificance of names or “To be, or
not to be”, a soliloquy from Hamlet are some of the greatest lines in literature.

SETTING
The time and place where a story is set is one of its important parts. The era or time in which the
incidents in the play take place, influence the characters in their appearance and personalities.
The time setting may affect the central theme of the play, the issues raised (if any), the conflict,
and the interactions between the characters. The historical and social context of the play is also
defined by the time and place where it is set. The time period and the location in which the story
is set, affect the play’s staging. Costumes and makeup, the backgrounds and the furniture used,
the visuals (colors and kind of lighting), and the sound are among the important elements of a
play that dictate how the story is translated into a stage performance. The Merchant of Venice
has been set in the 16th century Venice. Romeo and Juliet has been set in the era between 1300
and 1600, perhaps the Renaissance period which is the 14th and 15th centuries.

CONFLICT
Generally, occurs when a character cannot achieve an objective due to an obstacle. This obstacle
may be internal or external and between characters or between characters and their environment.
Conflict may be shown in a variety of ways, for example through physical, verbal or psychological
means. Conflict may be embedded in the structure of the drama.

CLIMAX
Is the most significant moment of tension or conflict in a drama and often occurs towards the
end of the plot. Multiple climaxes and/or an anti-climax may also occur. The action of a drama
usually unravels after the climax has transpired but the work might finish with a climactic moment.

GENRE
Refers to the type of play. Some example is comedy, tragedy, mystery, historical play and etc.
Type of story being told and the style refers to how the work is presented on stage. Give the
performers a framework to shape the devised work.

CONVENTION
The techniques and methods used by playwright, writer or director to create desired dramatic
effect/style. It is employed regularly in the drama so that the audience come to attach specific
meaning to it and literally devices that break the illusion of reality.

AUDIENCE
This is the group of people who watch the play. Many playwrights and actors consider the
audience to be the most important element of drama, as all of the effort put in to writing and
producing a play is for enjoyment of all the audience.

Rhythm/ Music
Music is featured in drama in this case Aristotle was referring to the rhythm of the actor’s voices
as they speak. Rhythm is the timing and pace, it also follows the emotional state of one or more
characters or the atmosphere of the performance at particular moments. Music is an opera in
which action is not interrupted by formal song and is determine solely by dramatic
appropriateness.

SPECTACLE
It is the visual elements of the play like costumes, special effects, lights, etc. It is everything that
the audience sees as they watch the play.

What’s More

MATCH N LEARN!
Directions: Match column A to column B to identify the short description of the different
elements of drama. Write your answer in the space provided.
 COLUMN A COLUMN B

_______1. Audience A. refers to its central idea

_______2. Character B. the order of events occurring in a play

_______3. Climax C. portrayed as the actors in a written script

_______4. Conflict D. the story is narrated through the use of it

_______5. Convention E. it is where a story is set

_______6. Dialogue F. most awaited moment in watching a play

_______7. Genre G. embedded in the structure of the drama.

_______8. Plot H. refers to the type of play

_______9. RHYTHM/Music I. techniques and methods used by playwright

_______10. Spectacle J. the most important element of drama

_______11. Setting K. timing/pace and use of song/music in a play

_______12. Theme L. the visual elements of the play

What I Have Learned

Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is incorrect.

______1. Drama has different elements like the theme, plot, characters, dialogue, setting,
climax, conflict, genre, convention, audience, rhythm/music and spectacle.

_____2. Plot is the philosophy that is base from the story and give moral lesson that the
characters learn. It is the message that the play gives to the audience.

_____3. What the characters do, how they interact and what happens to them in the end,
constitutes as the theme.
_____4. Actors in the play have the responsibility of bringing the characters to life.

_____5. Monologues and soliloquies that are speeches given to oneself or to other
characters help put forward points that would have been easy to express through
dialogues.

_____6. The time setting may affect the central theme of the play, the issues raised (if
any), the conflict, and the interactions between the characters.

_____7. Conflict may be shown in a variety of ways, for example through physical, verbal
or psychological means.

______8. The action of a drama usually unravels after the climax has transpired but the work might
finish with a climactic moment.

What I Can Do

ACTIVITY: Create a mind map with a main circle containing the word “Elements
of Drama”, branching out to the 12 smaller circles containing the different elements
of drama (i.e. theme, plot, character, etc.), and branching out further to contain sub-
points from each element. You may add smaller circles if necessary.

MIND MAP:

RUBRICS:

Completeness 30%
 Correctness 30%
Using own words 20%
Aesthetic appeal 20%
TOTAL: 100%

Assessment

GROUP ACTIVITY:
Direction: Divide the class into four groups through a count off. I will give
different situations and you will make into a script incorporating the
different elements of drama.

RUBRICS:
CREATIVITY/ORIGINALITY- 30%

CONSTRUCTING TEXTS - 20%

GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION- 20%
VOCABULARY AND SPELLING- 20%
REFLECTING- 10%
TOTAL: 100%
 Additional Activities

ACT YOUR SCRIPT!!

Reenact the made script into a role play/drama.

CRITERIA FOR JUDGING:

20 POINTS 15 POINTS 10 POINTS 5 POINTS

PRESENTATION Speaks clearly, Speaks Speaks but Cannot hear
speaks loud clearly, speaks not loud what is
enough for loud enough enough for being said.
classmates to for classmates class to hear. Student is
hear. Uses to hear. Uses Little to no off topic, i.e.
emotion and some emotion emotion is laughs in
inflection and inflection used. the middle
where where Audience of a serious
necessary. necessary. does not scene.
Performance Performance know what is Student is
shows in an shows in an happening not acting
outstanding outstanding and confused just reciting
manner, manner, about the words.
understanding understanding performance.
insight into insight into
the character the character
and the scene. and the scene.
PROPS/COSTUMES Uses props in Uses props Props are not No props or
an throughout from the props are
outstanding the correct time used
manner performance. period. No incorrectly.
throughout Wear a costume is No costume
the costume used. and or
 performance. pieces and costume is
Wears a some pieces used to take
costume and are away from
appropriate appropriate the scene
for the time for the time rather than
period and the period and add to the
character. the character. scene.
MEMORIZATION All lines are Most lines are Some lines Lines are not
memorized memorized are memorized.
and stated and stated memorized Actors are
correctly using correctly. and little reading
emotion and emotion is from the
inflection used when script and or
where stating the cannot state
necessary. lines. the lines
correctly.
SCRIPT Script is very Script is neat No set No script.
neat and and direction is Script is not
organized, no organized. included. what the
mistakes. Character Character characters in
Character name is name is not the
name is included present on performance
included before the the script. are actually
before the lines that will doing.
lines that will be stated.
be stated. Includes some
Includes all set set direction
direction and and scene
scene instructions.
instructions.
CONTENT All lines are Lines are Few lines are Most of the
original and original and coming from lines are
no grammar no grammar books, no from the
errors. errors. originality books, no
and 4-5 originality
grammar and more
errors. than 5
grammar
errors.
What I have What’s What I
Learned More Know
1. J. 1. A.
1. TRUE
2. C. 2. C.
2. FALSE 3. F. 3. B.
3. FALSE 4. G. 4. D.
5. I. 5. A.
4. TRUE
6. D. 6. B.
5. FALSE
7. H. 7. B.
6. TRUE 8. B. 8. A.
7. TRUE 9. K. 9. C.
10. L. 10. D.
8. TRUE
11. E. 11. B.
12. A. 12. A.
13. C.
14. A.
15. B.
Answer Key
REFERENCE:

https://entertainism.com/element-of-drama/amp

https://www.slideshare.net/angeliemaefrondoso/the-
element-of-drama-14329651