How to Read Drama
Strategies for Reading Dramatic Works
Reading drama is different from reading novels or short stories. Drama is in its very own genre for a reason, and therefore you must use a different approach to reading and understanding drama. Drama refers to a story that is meant to be performed on a stage. Drama and prose fiction do share characteristics like plot, setting, and characters. However, it is important to remember that prose is meant to be read on a page, whereas drama is meant to be spoken aloud. In this interactivity, click the notes on the bulletin board to examine strategies for reading dramatic works. Click the player button to begin.
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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an actor and playwright (writer of plays) from England. He was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He married and had three children but spent most of his adult life in London, pursuing a career in theater. As an actor and playwright, he was co-owner of a theater company called Lord Chamberlain's Men, which was later changed to The King's Men. In 1599, the Globe theater was built on the bank of the River Thames and was home to many of Shakespeare's performances. By 1613, Shakespeare retired from the theater and lived the remainder of his life at home in Stratford. He passed away in 1616, leaving behind a legacy of intriguing plays and cherished sonnets.
Types of Drama
When people hear the word drama, they usually think of the sense of the word referring to something serious and highly emotional. For example, a movie about a man's battle with cancer and his shattered relationship with his son may be described as a drama. However, the term drama in literature refers to plays that are performed on a stage. In his lifetime, Shakespeare composed thirty-seven dramas that today are categorized into three types: comedies, tragedies, and histories. In this interactivity, click the checkboxes on the clipboard to examine a list of types of drama in greater detail. Click the player button to begin.
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Literary Devices and Language
Reading and understanding plays written in the 16th century may seem intimidating for some students because the language is so different from the contemporary English you use today. However, by becoming familiar with a number of literary devices and language styles commonly used in 16th-century England, you can better understand the language of Shakespearean drama. In this interactivity, click each of the tabs to explore several literary devices and archaic language. Click the player button to begin.
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Cultural Context of Romeo and Juliet
The play Romeo and Juliet is set in Italy during the Renaissance period, sometime between the 14th and 16th centuries. Back then, cultural beliefs were very different from what they are today in America. First of all, boys and girls were treated very differently. Boys were educated and allowed to roam freely about town. They might hang out in the town center the same way teens hang out at the mall today. Generally, a young man was allowed to select his marriage partner, approaching the girl's father for permission.
However, it was very different for girls. They did not receive formal education and were instead instructed on running a household. Girls were not allowed to venture through town without an escort. They were not even allowed to have boyfriends, and they often had no say whatsoever in whom they ended up marrying. In fact, they were often simply considered "property" by their fathers. After marriage, they were considered the property of their husbands.
It was not unheard of for young people to get married in their teens. Women in England usually married in their twenties, and sometimes they even married in their thirties or forties depending on personal and economic circumstances. For example, a woman may delay marriage if her parents passed away and she was left to care for her younger siblings. However, women in the eastern half of Europe often married in their teens. During Shakespeare's time, Romeo and Juliet could have legally gotten married as young teenagers, but it would have been unusual.
These are some of the important social and cultural differences to keep in mind as you begin reading The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespearean Drama Review
Now that you have explored characteristics of Shakespearean drama and Renaissance culture, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the questions and select the appropriate answers. Click the player button to get started.