English Essentials - Destroying Drama – Finer Points of Dramatic Analysis (Stage 6, Years/Grades 11-12)

This lesson delves into dramatic analysis, focusing on characterisation, staging, and genre. It explores Aristotle's concepts of hamartia, anagnorisis, and peripeteia, using examples from Shakespeare's works. The lesson also covers complex characterisation techniques, including sociolect and iambic pentameter, and discusses staging methods like the proscenium and apron stages. It concludes with an examination of dramatic genres, such as tragedy, comedy, and tragicomedy, encouraging students to explore and enjoy drama.

What is the purpose of using iambic pentameter in Shakespearean drama?

Discuss the differences between tragedy and comedy as dramatic genres.

How does the concept of 'tragicomedy' manifest in both 'Pygmalion' and 'The Tempest'?

What is the significance of the cyclical structure in 'Waiting for Godot'?