English Essentials - Destroying Drama - Essential Techniques for Analysing Drama (Stage 5, Years/Grades 9-10)

This lesson focuses on essential techniques for analyzing drama, including characterization, staging, and genre. It covers methods of characterization using dramatis personae and secondary text, such as stage directions and scene descriptions. The lesson also explores the use of iambic pentameter and staging techniques, and discusses different drama genres and their conventions.

What is the purpose of the dramatis personae in a play?

• To provide a summary of the plot

• To list the props used in the play

• To describe the setting of each scene

• To list all the characters and their roles

In 'Death of a Salesman', what does Linda's series of questions indicate about her character?

• She is confident and assertive

• She is anxious and worried

• She is indifferent and detached

• She is joyful and carefree

How does Tennessee Williams use color imagery in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'?

• To highlight the wealth of the characters

• To contrast the urban decay with human resilience

• To create a sense of mystery

• To depict the lively atmosphere of the town

What is the effect of using iambic pentameter in Shakespeare's plays?

• It creates a chaotic and disorganized rhythm

• It simplifies the language for the audience

• It makes the dialogue sound like everyday speech

• It adds a formal and elegant tone to the dialogue

How does the use of iambic pentameter help in characterizing Cordelia in 'King Lear'?

• It makes her appear indecisive and weak

• It emphasizes her grace and sophistication

• It portrays her as uneducated and simple

• It shows her as aggressive and confrontational

What is a key difference between a proscenium stage and an apron stage?

• Proscenium stages separate the audience with arches, apron stages extend into the audience

• Proscenium stages have a curtain, apron stages do not

• Proscenium stages are circular, apron stages are rectangular

• Proscenium stages are used for musicals, apron stages for dramas

What genre does 'A Streetcar Named Desire' primarily belong to?

• Mystery

• Romantic

• Tragedy

• Comedy

What is the significance of verbal imagery in older dramas?

• To confuse the audience

• To make the play longer

• To compensate for limited stage technology

• To provide detailed visual effects

What is a tragicomedy?

• A play that is only performed in the afternoon

• A play that is neither funny nor sad

• A play that combines elements of both tragedy and comedy

• A play that has no dialogue

What does the term 'pathetic fallacy' refer to in drama?

• A character's inability to speak

• The environment reflecting a character's emotions

• A mistake made by the playwright

• The use of humor to lighten the mood