INTRODUCTION TO MODERN DRAMA
MODERN DRAMA
Submitted By: Mansib Ali
Drama is a form of literature and it is a play for theatre, radio as well as television in lexical meaning. Metaphorically, it means conflict of two opposite forces. Thematically, it means action. Characters perform assigned roles in the enactment. The stage is the synonym for enactment and drama. Oxford advanced learners Dictionary define drama as:
“Drama is a play for radius, television and theatre.”
The word drama is derived from Greek word “drao” which means “action” ,”play” and “deed”. According to MARTIN GRAY:
“The form of literature intended to be performed usually in some kind of theatre. Drama comes to life when it is interpreted in the performance of actors.”
Apart from this, there are two major types of drama for example tragedy and comedy, and they have some essentials as:
Plot arrangements of incidents and characters
Stage place for action
Characters men who performs some roles
Thought objective of play
Dialogues verbal action
Modernism:
According to Oxford advanced learners Dictionary, the word modern means:
“A new fashion for future time”
Generally, it means advancement, enlightenment, a change from old values to new things. It is some things that does not exist before.
Modernism in literature is a “set of attitudes” The literature written after 1914 is known as modern. It shows a marked difference in themes and techniques from the literature of earlier times. According to MARTIN GRAY:
“The first world war (1914-18) is generally considered to be the catalyst that initiated the modern period in literature. Modernism is a label that distinguishes some characteristics of twentieth century writing, in so far as it differs from literary conventions inherited from nineteenth century.”
After the World War, people have changed their bent of mind. Faith has replaced with reason. Modernism consists of faithlessness, seclusion, nothingness and commercialism.
MODERN Drama is a particular type a drama which depicts modern attributes and shows all the changes that happened on the political, social, economic, religious and psychological level. Faith has replaced by reason, therefore modern drama is rational. It is read and watched; thus it is literary drama.
Features of Modern Drama
Drama is such a genre of literature which is very close to life. Among Greeks, the drama was performed as a religious festival but with the passage of time, there came marked differences in modern times. There are some essential features of drama which are the product of modern literature, they are as followings:
i. Thematic Concerns: Modern drama is related to thematic concerns. Individual versus society, hypocrisy, instruction, survival of the fittest, destruction, decay and sexuality are the modern concerns and themes of the modern play.
ii. Literary Drama: Apart from performance and enactment, modern drama is also read and therefore, it is called literary drama. Due to the arrival of press, now, the common man has an access to read drama.
iii. Rationalism –Theory of Cause and Effect: Modern drama is rational and philosophical. Now, there is a discussion of cause and effect. Faith has replaced by cause and effect as well as reason as war has shattered the beliefs of people. Classical tragedy is the tragedy of values. Now, man is central discussion.
iv. Survival of The Fittest: The modern protagonist fights against poverty, exploitation and class distinction. It is the matter of survival of the fittest. In classical drama, hero was fought against values like fate and destiny, while the protagonist of modern drama fights against the real problems of life. Classical hero was demand honour, while modern protagonist wants survival of the fittest.
v. Convince Not Influence: Modern drama is based on reality
vi. Prosaic Form: Modern drama is in prosaic from unlike classical drama that was in poetic form. Now there is no life and poetry in the ways of modern man. Modern drama is rational and considers everything on behalf of cause and effect. Now, every action is seen in the terms of personal benefit. This approach has lost poetry from drama.
vii. Theme – Social and Sexual Discussion: Themes of any literary work are based on social economic political and religious situation thus a lot of social, economic, political, and religious situation. Thus a lot of social problems come in discussion in modern drama. Now, there is open sexual discussion unlike classical drama because in present times, nothing is hidden from anyone eye. The social norms ends and behavior have changed. Modern drama is about anti love – anti -war and anti-romantic because they are the prevailing thoughts of society.
viii. Naturalism and Realism: As modern drama is based on ideologies as feminism, puritanism, feudalism and socialism. Among them, naturalism is the most significant. This theory suggests that everything works on the laws of cause and effect. Man has become rational and he is last spirituality. Thus, naturalism is the demand of the day. Naturalism means inner reality and realism means outer reality.
ix. Feminism: Today is the age of equality of men and women. Unlike past times, where women did not have a right to vote. Now, they are activity participating in all the national and international issues. In this respect, feminism is the dominant theme of modern drama. The title of modern drama are even in woman’s name as “HEDDA GABLER”. A girl may be a heroine of modern drama.
x. Iconoclastic Approach: As abundant of themes present at the same time. Modern mam has more than one issue in his life. He has a lot of problems to tackle. Thus, modern drama has more than one theme. This approach is called iconoclastic.
xi. Hero and Villain / Protagonist not Hero: In ancient times, the heroes of drama were kings, princes and men belonging to the high status and prominent stature of society. According to them, the men of high social status represent the whole society. But now, things have changed. A common man is a protagonist, not a hero. He is the central character and society is his villain. There is no place for heroism in modern drama. There is a conflict between and society now.
xii. Didacticism: Due to loss of faith, it is necessary to teach modern man values as well as humanity. Modern drama is written in a didactic way so that everyone learns from it according to his own way.
xiii. Explorative cum Narrative: Modern man is explorative.it might be the exploration of ideas and “ISMS” and particularly about pre-existence. If one tries to find out the reason for anything, it is called explorative. In modern drama, things have been given different names. A writer tries to discover a particular mentality of people in society. The same issues are discussed in modern drama, so that man can get information from it and modern drama is narrative, not dramatic.
xiv. Disillusionment: When a man only believes in reality apart from imagination It is called disillusionment. War is the destructive aspect of modernism and it has shattered beliefs of people. Modern man is disillusioned and the presentation of drama is also similar in this respect. It is disillusionment. The modern playwrights want to save people from a false notion. False notion means to consider himself the part of the elite class, which he is not in reality. To present himself “That” which he is not.
Man is the prisoner of his ideas and dogmas social connection and false social morality. Ibsen wants to relieve man from those miseries. In HEDDA, chains are vanity, social standing, Superiority, egotism and selfishness. Power always weakens man and wealth always impoverish man. BACON says:
“It is strange to seek power to lose liberty”.
HEDDA seeks emancipation of self-destruction. She has no concept of creativity. She is the product of the sterile era from the woman. It has no vistas for the woman. A moral and psychological order has been shaken by industrialization as well as urbanization. According to HENRIK IBSEN:
“Marriage is like the change of guards. It changes the whole establishment and this is the reality which should be accepted.”
xv. Objective Drama/Thesis Oriented: Modern drama is objective drama. It is based on realism and it is naturalistic play. In addition to it, the modern drama is also thesis oriented play.
xvi. Emancipation of consciousness: IBSEN is the father of modern drama. He has revolutionized on a thematic level. He emancipates human’s consciousness and teaches to come out of false notions. Modern man is imprisoned in different psychological and social status but Ibsen convinces a man to face reality. Be who you are. This is the psychological liberty.
xvii. Survival of the fittest:
xviii. Biological Determination: According to the biological determination, everything has pre-planned with the birth of man. Man is just a puppet in the hands of fate. He cannot alter according to his own wish. He is bound as ROSSEAU says:
“Man is born free but he is chained everywhere.”
Due to this determination, modern man cannot help doing anything. Now, man has just top struggle to himself according to the social nouns. Man is created in the given world. Man is fully formed when he is born-colour of hair, height, race, cost or bone or given us as heredity. It is nothing out of nothing, man is being determined.
Techniques of Modern Drama
i. The sophistication of stage: The first and foremost significant element in modern drama is stage setting. As drama has become professional, so the playwrights have dealt minutely with setting on stage. Now, the stage depicts theme. The colour of costumes, curtains, lighting and background music, enhance the effect of the play. Costumes of characters depict particular social class. Background music haunt on audience’s mind. Lightning reveals optimism or pessimism through its shadowing.
ii. Prologue: This is the starting part of the play which gives the introduction of the play and presents man issues.
iii. Epilogue: It is the end of the play which does not lead to any further action. Due to the epilogue, people get a moral message.
iv. Impressionism: The effects caused by society on an individual or the presentation of effects caused by society. It is also present in our thought, drama, literature, political science and general.
v. Expressionism: A drama in which characters influence the atmosphere is called expressionism. According to MARTIN GRAY:
“A European artistic movement which started c.1900 in Germany Expressionism was a revolt against realism. It shows reality in a distorted way by an abnormal state of mind. Even by madness,”
vi. Symbolism: In modern Drama, symbolism is a recurrent technique used to enhance the meaning of play. According to the MARTIN GRAY:
“The use of an object, idea or person which means something more than simple its literal meaning.”
vii. Clowning: Life is not fixed for tragedy and comedy. They both go hand in hand clowning is the ingredient of modern drama, it is not exclusive for comedy and tragedy. This technique was firstly used by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE .A theatrical entertainment is based on fairy tale etc. Clown appears on stage in the middle of drama to provide relief to audience from entirely a tense situation. Tragedy is about serious actions and clown appears for a comic role.
viii. Interludes and Dumb Show: During the pauses of drama, there are interludes to fulfill the commercial aspect. The dumb shows are represented, keeping in view the interests of people.
ix. Thesis-Oriented Stage: As there are a lot of sophistication in the settings of stage. Thus, themes are reflected from setting. In this way, stage presents a thesis for the analysis of play and artistic techniques of playwright.
x. Leit- Motif: In modern Drama, among a lot of themes, there is one dominant theme. This theme is represented through various techniques. The presentation of such theme is called leit-motif. The lightening, dressing, setting and play back music represent it.
Conclusion
To cap it up, it can be rightly be said without any speak of doubt that drama is a play for theatre which includes conflict and enactment. On thematic level, there is realism, naturalism and feminism in modern Drama. In techniques- impressionism, expressionism, stage-setting, leit-Motif are dominant aspects of modern drama.
To read online this Assignment {without outline} or to download this Assignment {with outline} and more (F.A, B.A and M. A) ENGLISH Assignments in PDF File. Please visit our Website: → < www.teahfd.com > or search these texts 'THE ENGLISH ACADEMY BY MANSIB ALI' in Google. And also follow us on the Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram with single I.D "teahfd".
Comments