lit presentation 1

8/3/2019 Lit Presentation 1

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In the 19th century, the romantics introduced thegrotesque into such plays, thereby influencing moderndrama. But the dramas of Henrik Ibsen, notably Ghosts

(1881) and The Wild Duck (1884), and of AntonChekhov, especially The Cherry Orchard (1903), withtheir touching comic sadness, have revealed thepossibilities of the form.

Writers associated with the "theater of the absurd"have been particularly attracted to tragicomedy,although the term seems to be an inaccuratedescription of their work. Samuel Beckett's Waiting for

Godot (1953), for example, has neither a comic nor atragic ending. The play is puzzling, grotesque, andelusive. Yet Beckett calls it a "tragicomedy", a termnow often used to describe a variety of dramaticmodes.


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The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work whichexaggerates plot and characters in order to appealto the emotions. It may also refer to the genre whichincludes such works, or to language, behavior, orevents which resemble them. It is also used inscholarly and historical musical contexts to refer todramas of the 18th and 19th centuries in whichorchestral music or song was used to accompany theaction. The term originated from the early 19th-century French word mlodrame, which is derivedfrom Greek melos, music, and French drame, drama(from Late Latin drma, which in turn derives fromGreek drn, to do, perform. An alternative Englishspelling, now obsolete, is "melodrame".


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18th-century origins: monodrama, duodrama andoperaBeginning in the 18th century, melodrama was atechnique of combining spoken recitation with short

pieces of accompanying music. In such works, musicand spoken dialog typically alternated, although themusic was sometimes also used to accompanypantomime. The earliest known examples are scenes in

J. E. Eberlin's Latin school play Sigismundus (1753). Thefirst full melodrama was Jean-Jacques Rousseau'sPygmalion, the text of which was written in 1762 butwas first staged in Lyon in 1770. The overture and anAndante were composed by Rousseau, but the bulk of

the music was composed by Horace Coignet. Adifferent musical setting of Rousseau's Pygmalion byAnton Schweitzer was performed in Weimar in 1772,and Goethe wrote of it approvingly in Dichtung undWahrheit.


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Pygmalion is a monodrama, written for one actor.

Some 30 other monodramas were produced inGermany in the fourth quarter of the 18th century.When two actors are involved the term duodramamay be used. Georg Benda was particularly

successful with his duodramas Ariadne auf Naxos(1775) and Medea (1778). The sensational success ofBenda's melodramas led Mozart to use two longmelodramatic monologues in his opera Zaide (1780).Other later, and more well-known examples of the

melodramatic style in operas are the grave-diggingscene in Beethoven's Fidelio (1805) and theincantation scene in Weber's Der Freischtz (1821).


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In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims to entertainthe audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and

improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity,verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication,which may include word play, and a fast-paced plotwhose speed usually increases, culminating in an ending

which often involves an elaborate chase scene. Farcesare often highly incomprehensible plot-wise (due to thelarge number of plot twists and random events thatoften occur), but viewers are encouraged to try not tofollow the plot in order to not become confused and

overwhelmed. Farce is also characterized by physicalhumor, the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, andbroadly stylized performances. Farces have beenwritten for the stage and film.


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Many farces move at a frantic pace toward theclimax, in which the initial problem is resolved oneway or another, often through a deus ex machinatwist of the plot. Generally, there is a happyending. The convention of poetic justice is notalways observed: The protagonist may get awaywith what he or she has been trying to hide at all

costs, even if it is a criminal act.

Farce in general is highly tolerant of transgressivebehaviour, and tends to depict human beings asvain, irrational, venal, infantile, neurotic and prone

to automatic behaviour. In that respect, farce is anatural companion of satire. Farce is, in fact, notmerely a genre but a highly flexible dramaticmode that often occurs in combination with other

forms, including romantic comedy.


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Farce in general is highly tolerant of transgressivebehaviour, and tends to depict human beings as

vain, irrational, venal, infantile, neurotic and proneto automatic behaviour. In that respect, farce is anatural companion of satire. Farce is, in fact, notmerely a genre but a highly flexible dramatic modethat often occurs in combination with other forms,including romantic comedy. Farce is considered atheatre traditionAs far as ridiculous, far-fetched situations, quick andwitty repartee, and broad physical humor are

concerned, farce is widely employed in TV sitcoms,in silent film comedy, and in screwball comedy. Seealso bedroom farce.Japan has a centuries-old tradition of farce playscalled Kygen. These plays are performed as comic

relief during the long, serious farce (frs)


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Devoy Brown

Kareem Edwards

Sheneta Bailey

Althea Lewis

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