(TUI) Thematic Unit: Influences - Pygmalion: Drama Lesson

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action," which is derived from the verb meaning "to do" or "to act." The enactment of drama in theatre is performed by actors on a stage, before an audience. The structure of dramatic texts, unlike other forms of literature, is directly influenced by collaborative production and collective reception. The two masks associated with drama represent the traditional generic division between comedy and tragedy. They are symbols of the ancient Greek Muses, Thalia and Melpomene.

Aristotle's Poetics is the earliest-surviving work of dramatic theory and the first philosophical writing to focus on literary theory. In it, Aristotle offers an account of what he calls "poetry" (a term which in Greek literally means "making" and in this context includes drama—comedy, tragedy, and the satyr play—as well as lyric poetry, epic poetry.

Drama Terms

Complete the crossword below to test your knowledge of your key terms.

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