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Theatre Appreciation Online Course |
Last revision date: November 16, 2007
The Last Four Parts of a Play:
Objectives for this lesson:Students will examine:
the last four of Aristotle's Six Parts of a Tragedy
the nature of thought, language, music, and spectacle in drama and theatre
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Aristotle's Six Parts of a Tragedy
1. Plot2. Character3. Thought (theme, idea)4. Diction (Language)5. Music (sound)6. Spectacle
3.THOUGHT:
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idea, theme ("the me") of the play.
-
often allegorical or symbolic
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sometimes direct, sometimes indirect.
Plays may often be written about an idea, but the playwright will probably focus more on plot and character to get idea across -- plays are seldom about an idea.
In production, directors seldom try to direct the idea--it is the other values that will get the idea across (tho' sometimes the idea will not be obvious / overt).
4. DICTION / LANGUAGE:
Language is used to:
depart information, reveal characters, characterize, direct attention, reveal themes and ideas, establish mood / tone, establish tempo / rhythm appropriate to character (again, "decorum" had nobility speak poetry, peasants speaking prose).
5. MUSIC / SONG:
The sound of the dialog, etc. musicality, rhythm, pace,
etc.
helps establish mood, characterize, lend variety, pleasurable.
6. SPECTACLE
The most immediate element
--appropriate and distinctive (but perhaps least important for the "drama / play").
These Six Parts of a Tragedy (a play) have acted as a guideline for theorists and practitioners for years.
Important terms:
theme
dialog
music
spectacle
This page and all linked pages in this directory are copyrighted © Eric W. Trumbull, 1998-2007.
Last revision date: November 16, 2007