What is a DRAMATIC TEXT

The dramatic text is the text of this literary genre and is characterized by being a type of writing that is thought to be represented live; We are talking, therefore, of the theatrical text and that, unlike other texts, has its own and clearly identifiable elements. In a teacher we will discover you what is dramatic text, its characteristics and examples of them so that, thus, you can better understand the nature of this textual typology that is the basis of the theater. We started!

Index

1. What is a dramatic text: easy definition
2. Characteristics of dramatic text
3. 5 examples of dramatic text

We start with the definition of dramatic text so that, thus, you can better understand what this type of literary text and what is it used for.

The dramatic text is the writing that is intended for perform theatrically, that is, performed by actors and located on a stage with an audience in front of it. Like the rest of the literary texts, in this one there is also a conflict, some characters that live the scene and a classic structure of beginning, middle and end.

However, the great difference that there is with dramatic texts and other literary texts is that in drama action is represented by dialogs: there is no narrator or text beyond that pronounced by the characters. Therefore, we are facing a writing in which there is a clear predominance of action. Being a text that is pronounced by the characters themselves, the style of the language is always adapted to each person and, each character, speaks in a particular way respecting, thus, his social class, education, his tail (if he has), etc.

The dramatic text is the writing of the drama, one of the three great classical literary genres, along with narration and lyrics. The origins of the drama They date back to Ancient Greece when celebrations began to be held in honor of Dionysus and, each time, these celebrations had more theatrical elements and more striking montages.

Dramatic text vs. theater

It is important to make a note: dramatic text is not theater, it is the text of the theater. That is to say, when we speak of dramatic text we are referring to the text itself, to the script; and when we talk about theater we are talking about all the elements that make up the play: the script, the interpretation, the props, the lighting, etc. Therefore, we cannot use the two words as synonyms because they are not.

Image: Slideshare

Now that we know what the dramatic text is, we are going to delve into another interesting section that will help us to further clarify the concepts set out above. The characteristics of a dramatic text are very easy to recognize and unique; therefore, we list them here so that you can easily detect them in a text.

Subgenres of dramatic text

You should know that a dramatic text can be different subgenres. Although today the list of these subgenres has increased, the truth is that there are 3 par excellence:

• Tragedy. It is a classic style that was cultivated by Greek authors. In these dramatic texts a tragic story was presented in which the characters had a deep conflict related to some of the great themes of humanity (love, honor, revenge, etc.). The participation of the gods of Greek mythology was common and, in the end, the story ended badly for the protagonist, but with a strong moral burden for the viewer.
• Comedy. It is another of the classic sub-genres that originated in Ancient Greece. Comedy, unlike tragedy, featured funny, everyday stories, played by characters that were easily recognizable in the society of the time. The ending is happy and the tone is funny and with situations full of tangles.
• Tragicomedy. And we end with another traditional subgenre of drama that consists of the mixture of tragedy and comedy. A more hybrid genre that recovers the great themes of the tragedy, but presented in a lighter and fun way.

Structure of the dramatic text

We continue to know the characteristics of the dramatic text so that, now, we can attend to its structure. As with other literary genres, dramatic action is also usually divided into three parts that can be presented in a linear or disordered way, depending on the preference of the Author:

• Initiation or approach. It is the initial moment, the moment of stillness and tranquility. A moment that will be broken by the knot that will alter everything. This is when we meet the characters and we place ourselves in the space / time of the work.
• Knot. It is the main conflict of the plot. In the theater, it is very common for plays to begin with the knot to trap the viewer.
• Outcome or end. It is about the end of the plot; the character has had to follow a series of strategies to get around the knot until he can reach an end that is not the same as the initial approach. The character has changed and has experienced a catharsis that will have made him change, either for the better or for the worse.

Types of voices in dramatic text

One of the great differences that there is with the dramatic text with respect to other types of texts is that, here, the characters are the ones who have the word at all times. Therefore, the narrator disappears completely and the whole story is lived by the characters. This means that there are different types of voices:

• Dialogue. It is when there is a conversation between two or more characters. It is formed based on statements and answers and, in them, what happens is explained and we get to know the nature of the characters.
• Apart. It is a type of text that was very popular in the Golden Age theater and that breaks with the fourth wall. When the character makes an aside, what he does is momentarily interrupt the plot to reflect aloud or speak directly to the audience. He brings a touch of comedy to the play.
• Monologue. They are dramatic interventions made by a single character. It may be that he is talking to a person who is not on stage or he is simply talking to himself out loud.

Dramatic text basics

We finish by reviewing the characteristics of the dramatic text to speak, now, of the typical elements of this type of text. Are these:

• Protagonist / Antagonist. It is usual that in the dramatic text there is a coexistence between a protagonist and an antagonist that prevents him from fulfilling his objectives. The antagonist does not have to be a person, it can be society, a law or even himself.
• Conflict. Dramatic text is action text, not description text. Therefore, the conflict is very present at all times and it is important that it be interesting, original and that it has a constant weight in the decisions made by the characters.
• Space. And, logically, the dramatic text is limited to the theatrical representation. Therefore, although the spaces can be many and varied, the truth is that all of them must be reflected in a small and limited setting.

To end this lesson, we want to conclude by providing some examples of dramatic text that are well known and with which you can finish understanding everything we have discussed. As we have already said, drama is a very old genre that was already cultivated by the authors of classical Greece. Therefore, we have a very great variety of examples in the history of literature. However, here we are going to show you some of the best known.

Medea by Euripides

Medea is one of the greek plays more important. Written by Euripides, it is a classic tragedy that stars Jason, a warrior who marries Medea and with whom he has a son.

The Trickster of Seville by Tirso de Molina

The Trickster of Seville is another of the clearest examples of dramatic text. In this story we meet Juan Tenorio, a don Juan who uses weapons of seduction to conquer women and achieve his own goals. But his goings-on will lead him to face kings and powerful people who will put his own life at risk.

The matchmaker by Fernando Rojas

And how not to talk about La Celestina? It is one of the masterpieces of the Spanish Golden Age theater and tells the story of Calisto and Melibea, a couple who are related thanks to La Celestina, an old miser. It is a well-known tragicomedy that is studied in schools.

Tartuffe by Molière

A well known and acclaimed French comedy is Tartuffe of Molière. Here we meet Orgone, a man who is influenced by Tartuffe.

Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

We end this review of the dramatic text examples to discuss this contemporary classic by Ibsen. This work is a reflection of the limitation that society implies on people, so that, in the end, we all end up living in a kind of dollhouse.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is a dramatic text - characteristics and examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Literary concepts.

• Toro, F. D. (1987). Text, dramatic text, spectacular text.
• García Barrientos, J. L. (1991). Theater, drama, dramatic text, dramatic work: (An epistemological demarcation).
• Umaña Chaverri, J. OR. (2012). An option to read dramatic text.
• García Barrientos, J. L. (2006). Principles and utilities of a theatrical theory of the dramatic text.