The Stage and the School

Chapter 6: Varieties of Drama

Activity Lesson Plans

Introduction
Students have learned about the important aspects of various kinds of drama—from comedy to tragedy to melodrama to total theater. In this lesson, they will extend their knowledge of the terms presented in Chapter 6 and hone their ability to distinguish between drama varieties.

Lesson Description
Students will complete a crossword puzzle by applying their understanding of the chapter's key terms and concepts.

Instructional Objectives

  1. Students will be able to recall the meanings of the key terms from Chapter 6.
  2. Students will be able to distinguish between the varieties of drama they learned about in Chapter 6.

Student Web Activity Answers

hamartia: an error in judgment or a shortcoming on the part of a tragic protagonist

allegory: a form of storytelling that teaches moral concepts by using symbolic characters, events, or objects

fantasy: a play that deals with unrealistic characters

parody: a type of low comedy that mocks a certain work by imitating the author's style for comic effect

catharsis: the emotional release an audience feels after the downfall of a tragic character

representational: a play performed as if the audience is watching the action through an imaginary fourth wall

aside: a line spoken directly to the audience

pathos: an element in drama that arouses feelings of pity and compassion in the audience

satire: a style of comedy that presents humorous attacks on accepted conventions of society, holding up human vices and follies to ridicule

farce: a kind of comedy characterized by clowning, practical jokes, and improbable characters and situations

tragedy: a play in which the protagonist fails to achieve desired goals or is overcome by opposing forces

caricature: an exaggeration of a certain feature of a character or a literary work

GO TO STUDENT ACTIVITY

Glencoe Online Learning CenterLanguage Arts HomeProduct InfoSite MapContact Us

The McGraw-Hill CompaniesGlencoe