The Story of English Drama
Exercises
Q1. Complete the statements given below:
a) The word ‘drama’ comes from …………
b) The word drama means ……….
c) Drama offers us ……………….. of its imaginative reality.
d) In a tragedy the conflict terminates in ……..
e) The purpose of the Miracle plays was …….
f) In Morality plays, the characters were ………
g) Roister Doister is the first ………
h) The first English tragedy is ………..
i) In the plays of Shakespeare man occupied ………
j) T.S. Eliot revived ………. in the twentieth century.
k) Tughlaq is written by ……….
Answer-
a) Greek
b) thing done
c) a direct presentation
d) a catastrophe
e) didactic
f) virtues personified
g) English comedy
h) Gorboduc
i) the centre of creation.
j) verse drama
k) Girish Karnad
Q2. Answer these questions very briefly:
1. Write the names of dramatic elements.
Answer – The names of dramatic elements are:
i) Plot
ii)Character
iii) Dialogue
iv) Gestures
v) Scenic effects
vi) Music
vii) Soliloquy
2. What are the dramatic structures of a tragedy?
Answer – The dramatic structure of a tragedy typically consists of the following elements:
i) Exposition: Introduction of the setting, characters, and initial situation.
ii) Complication: The development of the central conflict or tension (rising action).
iii) Crisis: The turning point where the main character faces a crucial decision or action.
iv) Denouement: The unraveling of the conflict (falling action).
v) Catastrophe: The final outcome, often involving the downfall of the protagonist.
3. What is parallelism?
Answer – Parallelism in drama refers to the repetition of motives, interests, and themes, creating a balanced and harmonious structure. It often appears as similar or contrasting elements within the plot, character development, or thematic presentation, enhancing the dramatic design.
4. What is a Farce?
Answer – A farce is a type of dramatic work designed solely to provoke laughter through exaggerated and improbable situations, characters, and physical humor.
5. What is a masque?
Answer – The masque is a form of dramatic entertainment which involves dances and disguises and in which the spectacular and musical elements predominate over plot and character.
6. Write any five types of drama.
Answer – Here are five types of drama:
i) Tragedy – A serious drama that typically ends in disaster for the main characters.
ii) Comedy – A humorous drama that ends on a happy note.
iii) Tragi-comedy – A blend of tragedy and comedy, where elements of both coexist.
iv) Farce – A type of comedy aimed solely at provoking laughter through exaggerated and improbable situations.
v) Melodrama – A dramatic work that emphasizes exaggerated emotions and plot over character development.
7. “Who were known as the University wits? Write their names.
Answer – The University Wits were a group of playwrights and poets who were active in London in the late 16th century. They were:
i) John Lily
ii) Thomas Kyd
iii) George Peele
iv) Robert Greene
v) Christopher Marlowe
These writers were known for their sophisticated and innovative use of language, and their plays often explored complex themes and ideas. They were influential in the development of English drama, and paved the way for the works of William Shakespeare.
8. In which Age was the Comedy of manners written?
Answer – The Comedy of Manners was written in the Restoration Age (1660-1700). Specifically, it was in the works of three writers – Etherege, Wycherley, and Congreve – that this distinctive type of comedy was evolved.
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