Elements of Drama

•Categories 

1. Literary Elements

Aristotle's Six Elements

1.1 Plot - refers the action ; the basic storyline of the play

1.2 Theme- refers to the message that us intended to be 

expressed through the story

- the main idea or lesson to be learned from the play

1.3. Characters And Actors - the people (sometimes 

animals or ideas) portrayed by 

the actors

• Characterization- the way the playwright/ 

author presents a character

1.4. Dialogue - refers to words written by the playwright

and spoken by the character in the play

• Forms of Dialogue

• Monologue - when one character

delivers a speech to convey

his or her thoughts, although

other characters may remain on stage

•Soliloquy- a speech made by one character but 

delivered when he or she is alone on stage

1.5. Music/ Rhythm- the rhythm of the author's voice as they 

speak

1.6. Spectacle - the visual elements of a play : Set, 

Costumes, special effects

Elements of Drama in the Modern Theater

• Characters

• Plot

• Theme

• Dialogue

• Convention - refers to the techniques and method

• Genre- type of the play

• Audience

2. Technical Elements

2.1. Scene (Set) - refers to the theatrical equipment

2.2. Costumes- refers to clothing and accessories used 

by actors to portray characters

2.3 Properties - any movable object that appears on stage

2.4. Sound - refers to the effects on audience hears during 

the performance

2.4. Lights

2.6. Makeup - includes costumes, wigs, and body paints used 

to transform characters 

Other Elements

1. Playwright- the author of a play (script)

2. Script- the written pages of play

- divided into acts and scenes

• Acts- long sections of a play, made up of multiple scenes, 

usually designed to separate the play into its main 

parts and to give audience a " break" from the 

performance

• Scenes - shorter section of a play, usually each scenes 

occurs in one location at a specific time

- multiple scene make up an act 

- often signaled by the entrance or exit of a character 

or change in setting or focus on the action

3. Setting- the place, time, the environment involve in which 

the events occur

4. Conflict- the internal or external struggle that creates 

dramatic tension

• Internal Conflict

• Person vs. Self

• External Conflict

• Person vs. Fate/ God

• Person vs. Person

• Person vs. Society

• Person vs. Nature

• Person vs. Supernatural

• Person vs. Technology