What is drama? This is a genre of literary work. Today, the term is used, as a rule, when it comes to a film that tells of tragic events. However, the word "drama" arose long ago, much earlier than the release of the film of the Lumiere brothers.
Antiquity
Almost everyone can answer the question of what drama is. But how did she look at the initial stage of her development? This genre of literature originated in ancient Greece. Then it was a public art, focused on representation, image, game. The ancient Greeks did not consider drama in isolation from the theater. The purpose of the dramatic work is to evoke the emotions of the audience, to make them worry. And you can achieve this goal as much as possible with the help of acting, scenery, various theater techniques.
There was no antagonism of literature and theater in ancient times. The most important task of drama was the transfer of the author’s idea.
Despite the fact that in the era of antiquity the theater was the most popular form of art, drama was perceived not only as a performance, but also as an artistic text. The literary genre migrated from Greece to Rome. Many consider Seneca to be the founder of a drama as a work of art. His dramatic works were perceived by elitist art, they were intended not for theatrical productions, but for reading in aristocratic circles.
Renaissance and Classicism
In the Middle Ages there were no authors who created works in this genre. However, the monks actively copied and commented on the works of ancient authors. The audience remembered what drama was during the Renaissance: works by Tasso, Ariosto, Machiavelli appeared.
In the age of Classicism, drama became almost the main kind of literature. In that era, the authors sought to conform to the stylistic canons, which were very strict. Playwrights were, as a rule, theatrical figures, and therefore the connection between literature and stage art remained very strong. At the same time, viewers in different countries perceived the new performances differently. In England, plot was preferred (antique motifs were often used), but not many knew the name of the author. In Spain, fans of theatrical art rushed to the next play by Lope de Vega.
New time
The connection between theater and literature became less strong by the beginning of the 19th century. After the bourgeois revolution. The first commercial theaters appeared in Europe. By that time, the credibility of the actors had increased. If the theater used to be folk or aristocratic art, now when creating plays, the authors focused on another audience - the bourgeoisie. And the audience paid more attention to the cast.
The question of what drama was in the 19th century could have been answered in different ways. On the one hand, it was a theatrical production based on a correctly constructed intrigue. On the other - a work of art by one of such authors as Goethe, Swinburne, Byron, Shelley.
Nevertheless, in the 19th century, authors wrote not so much for viewers as for readers. A huge role in the development of the theater was played by the discovery of Shakespeare's works. By the way, this happened only in the XVIII century. It was thanks to Shakespeare that the poetic drama became poetic.
What is drama, and what are its characteristics? This is a work in which there is a clash of heroes representing different interests. When it comes to drama, the writings of the authors of the 18-19th centuries are recalled. There are several types:
- philistine;
- symbolic;
- existential;
- drama of the absurd;
- melodrama.
19th century writers who turned to this genre are Leo Tolstoy, Honore de Balzac, Alexander Ostrovsky, Henryk Ibsen. The drama of the absurd appeared in the twentieth century. Representatives of this subgenre are Daniel Harms, August Strindberg.
Cinema
Drama and comedy theater is attended by true lovers of stage art. But cinema is more popular today around the world. Russian and foreign directors annually make several hundred films-dramas. This is one of the genres of feature films, along with comedy, thrillers. But here there are several subgenres. Namely - criminal, psychological, historical, teenage drama.
It is worth saying that a clear genre system in modern cinema does not exist. At least, so many researchers believe. At an early stage in the development of cinema, comedy, adventure film and melodrama were singled out. But over time, these genres have become less defined. Perhaps that is why in the annotations to many films several genres are indicated.
So, there are three main genres of dramaturgy: tragedy, comedy, drama. The last two, oddly enough, have common features, namely the image of people's private life. But if the purpose of comedy is to ridicule human mores and characters, then in the drama the hero’s attitude to society and events comes to the fore. The characters in the drama are ordinary people who find themselves in an unusual situation. Main feature: the character of the protagonist undergoes significant changes. One of the best dramas created in the history of cinema is “Hello, sadness!”. The film was shot based on the novel of the same name by Francoise Sagan.
The word "drama" is often used in everyday life when it comes to something sad. In this case, it acquires an ironic connotation. True, in the song of Polina Gagarina, which is called "There is no more drama," there is no irony. This is a lyrical composition. But back to the cinema.
It’s impossible to list even the hundredth part of dramas, melodramas created over the past century. The list will be too long. Fortunately, there are film critics and critics who annually highlight worthy works from this cinematic mass. Thus, the Golden Globe Award is awarded in several categories, including for the best dramatic film. Recall the most famous paintings that were awarded the prestigious film awards.
"Tram" Desire ""
The film was released in 1951. Today "Desire Tram" is part of the golden collection of world cinema. The main role was played by Vivien Leigh, the star of Gone With the Wind. The actress played a middle-aged but still attractive teacher of English. She comes from New Orleans to relatives. A conflict is brewing in the family. The husband of the sister of the main character refers to a relative who suddenly came up, very suspiciously. This misunderstanding is aggravated every day and leads to a tragic denouement. At the beginning of the film, the heroine Vivien Leigh is an ordinary woman, with a not-so-happy fate. In the finale, this is a person with clear signs of personality disorder.
"To Kill a Mockingbird"
The protagonist of the film, nominated for the Golden Globe Award in 1962, is Attikus Finch, a man for whom the words “justice”, “honesty”, “impartiality” are not an empty phrase. He defends in court a black man accused of raping a white girl. The jury knows that he is innocent. However, in the middle of the 20th century, African Americans were still biased, and therefore the suspect was found guilty and sentenced to death. The heroes of the film learn a lot from the example of the case conducted by their father, they understand that injustice can lead to irreparable consequences.
"Schindler's list"
The worldview of the hero of the film, which has won many awards, including the Oscar, is undergoing significant changes. At the beginning of the story, Schindler is a cynical businessman, an unprincipled businessman, ready to do anything for the sake of profit. The characteristic phrase: "War is the best time for business." What does this successful entrepreneur become for the finale of the Spielberg film? A man who gave all his savings to save people doomed to death in gas chambers. “Whoever saves one life will save the whole world” is the slogan of one of the best historical dramas of the 20th century.
"Forrest Gump"
The hero of the iconic film of the nineties is one of those that they say "not of this world." Forrest is not like anyone: he thinks slowly, but runs very fast. The protagonist of the drama falls into a whirlpool of historical events. He meets with Elvis Presley, Richard Nixon, John Lennon and other famous personalities. He himself becomes famous, besides earns a huge fortune. As the mother of the protagonist says: “Fool is a fool.” This film is recognized by critics as one of the best dramas, but more often "Forrest Gump" is called tragicomedy. But as already mentioned, there is no clear genre classification in modern cinema.
Russian dramas
In addition to the aforementioned subgenres, there is also a military drama (for example, “And the Dawns Here Are Quiet”). In recent years, Russian directors have been filming many historical series. The drama “Bloody Lady” tells the story of Daria Saltykova, a noblewoman who sent about fifty of her serfs to the other world. The film was released in 2017.
TV shows telling about the life of this or that famous personality are very popular with viewers. For example, “The Secret of the White Angel” is dedicated to the singer Anna German. This biographical film can be called both drama and melodrama. It tells not only about a woman in whose life there were many sorrows, but also about the tragic events of the 20th century (Stalin's repressions).
Other Russian drama series: Murka, Spider Web, Fine Battles, Still I Love, Anna Karenina. History of Vronsky. ”