Since writing was invented, billions of lines and texts have been written. Some for purely informational purposes, others for dissertations or essays, and still others solely for the purpose of generating an elaborate narrative in order to enjoy a good story.

But sometimes a text is not created to just be read. Sometimes a person is sought to sing or express their content in a specific way, and in some cases texts are created not to be read but to be interpreted before an audience. This last case is that of the dramatic texts , about which we will talk throughout this article.

What do we call dramatic text?

A dramatic text is any text written with the aim of being represented in public not by mere reading but by theatrical performance . In this type of text, one or several situations of conflict between different characters are interpreted, which form a story that is represented through the dialogues and actions of the actors. The action takes place on a specific stage set in a specific space and time, and the conflict in question is developed throughout multiple scenes.

The dramatic text is one of the three main literary genres, together with narrative and lyric or poetry . It shares with the former the fact of generating a story with an introduction, development and denouement, while it has in common with the latter the fact of seeking a representation far from a mere literal reading.

This is the basic text of the theatre, although it should not be identified as a synonym for it since the dramatic text will only be the literary elaboration and not the performance itself. It also has the particularity that although the author of the text is one (who is called a playwright) the story that reaches the viewer comes not directly through the text but through the interpretation of the actors and the staging done by the director.

Likewise, this type of text must include not only what happens but the way it does it: the appearance, gestures or tone that maintain the aspects, as well as general information about the scenery (luminosity, exact place and time in which the action takes place, etc.) and the costumes.

Two types of text in one

One of the most relevant characteristics of the dramatic text is that for its good development it is necessary that two different types of text are elaborated at the same time, or otherwise its interpretation could vary enormously and distort or change completely the story in question or its meaning.

First of all we can find the main text, which refers to the set of lines that express the dialogues (or monologues) of the personal ones and which is the main element that makes the story go on. It also includes the division into acts, pictures and scenes, as well as the development of the action itself .

The second of the text types is the secondary text, which is the set of annotations that the author makes in order to indicate how the scene in question is carried out : the movement, the environment, the clothing or the gesticulation would fall within this text type.

Basic structure

Dramatic texts have a general basic structure, analogous to that of the narrative genre . In this sense, we can find the existence of an approach or introduction in which the circumstances prior to the conflict and the staging of it are presented.

This is followed by the knot or development, in which the conflict progresses in such a way that the characters try to cope with it, reacting and acting to resolve it. Finally, there is the denouement, in which after a climax where the conflict reaches its maximum intensity, an end is reached to the conflict situation (whether this end is satisfactory or not for the characters).

In addition, another aspect to consider is how not the conflict but the work itself is structured. In this sense, while a narrative can be divided into chapters in the case of the dramatic text the action is divided into acts , pictures (which do not necessarily imply the lowering of the curtain as in the act but in which the setting is changed) and scenes (marked by the characters and their entrances and exits).

The main dramatic genres

Within dramatic texts we can find different types of genres. Although there are various sub-genres such as hors d’oeuvres, farce or vaudeville, or even opera , the three dramatic genres are generally considered to be the following.

Drama

Drama is one of the first and main dramatic genres (not in vain, the name of the genre comes from the Greek word for the action of acting).

It depicts the existence of a conflict that is resolved through various scenes. It usually has a serious and realistic tone and presents great reflections with respect to different themes, although it does not necessarily have to be sad.

Tragedy

Another of the great genres within this literary genre is tragedy, which is characterized by severe and solemn conflicts , with the characters being doomed to an extreme fate or outcome and usually linked to death.

Often the characters are well-known and respected characters or heroes, and they emphasize the expression of powerful emotions that are difficult to control and usually a desperate performance to avoid a misfortune from which they cannot escape.

Comedy

The third of the three great dramatic genres, in comedy we observe a type of work aimed at the search for a happy ending, always with a jocular tone and pretending to make the audience laugh and enjoy themselves . It usually deals with different aspects of everyday life and the acceptance of imperfection and the peculiarity of the events, situations and characters that are played in it prevails.

An example of dramatic text

In order to make it clearer what a dramatic text is, we leave you with a fragment of William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. Specifically, this is a fragment of the fourth scene of the third act: the moment when Hamlet performs his well-known soliloquy.

”
Hamlet (soliloquy)
To be, or not to be, that is the question. Which is more worthy of the action of the spirit, to suffer the penetrating shots of unjust fortune, or to oppose the arms to this torrent of calamities, and to end them with daring resistance? To die is to sleep. No more? And by a sleep, shall we say, the afflictions ended and the pains without number, heritage of our weak nature?

This is a term we should eagerly request. To die is to sleep… and perhaps to dream. Yes, and see here the great obstacle, because to consider that dreams can occur in the silence of the grave, when we have abandoned this mortal coil, is a very powerful reason to stop.

This is the consideration that makes our unhappiness so long. Who else would put up with the slowness of the courts, the insolence of the employees, the outrages that the merit of the most unworthy men receives peacefully, the anguish of a badly paid love, the insults and brokenness of the age, the violence of the tyrants, the contempt of the proud?

Who could tolerate such oppression, sweating, groaning under the weight of an annoying life, if not that the fear that there is something beyond Death (that unknown country from whose limits no wanderer returns) makes us pregnant with doubts and makes us suffer the evils that surround us; rather than go to seek others of which we have no sure knowledge?

This foresight makes us all cowards, so that the natural tinge of value is weakened by the pale varnishes of prudence, the most important companies by this consideration alone change course, are not executed and are reduced to vain designs. But… the beautiful Ophelia! Gracious girl, I hope my faults will not be forgotten in your prayers.

Ophelia
How have you felt, sir, in all these days?

Hamlet
Thank you very much. Okay.

Ophelia
I keep in my possession some of your expressions, which I wish to restore to you for a long time, and I ask you to take them now.

Hamlet
No, I never gave you anything.

Ophelia
You know, sir, I tell you the truth. And with them you gave Me words, of such a soft breath, composed that they increased with extreme value, but now that that perfume has dissipated, receive them, that a generous soul considers as vile the most opulent gifts, if the affection of the one who gave them becomes warm. See them here.

Hamlet
Oh! Oh! Are you honest?

Ophelia
Sir…

Hamlet
Are you beautiful?

Ophelia
What do you mean by that?

Hamlet
That if you are honest and beautiful, you should not allow your honesty to deal with your beauty.

Ophelia
Can beauty be a better companion than honesty?

Hamlet
No doubt about it. The power of beauty will turn honesty into a procuress, before honesty succeeds in giving beauty its likeness. In another time this was considered a paradox, but in the present age it is proven… I loved you before, Ofelia.

Ophelia
That’s what you meant to me.

Hamlet
And you should not have believed me, because virtue can never be so perfectly ingested in our hardened trunk, that it takes away that original resentment… I never loved you.

Ophelia
I was very fooled.

Hamlet
Look, go to a convent, why should you expose yourself to being the mother of sinful children? I am half good, but considering some things of which I may be accused, it would be better if my mother had not borne me.

I am very proud, vengeful, ambitious; with more sins on my head than thoughts to explain them, fantasy to give them form, nor time to bring them to execution. To what end must wretches like me exist dragged between heaven and earth? We are all wicked baddies; believe none of us, go away, go to a nunnery… Where is your father? (…)

Bibliographic references:

  • Aston, E. & George Savona. (1991). Theatre as Sign-System: A Semiotics of Text and Performance. London and New York: Routledge.
  • Milling, J. & Ley, G. (2001). Modern Theories of Performance: From Stanislavski to Boal. Basingstoke, Hampshire and New York: Palgrave.