6.1–Introduction

Operating at the intersection of other literary forms, drama is a bit of an anomaly in literary study because it is of interest not just to literary scholars and teachers, but also to performance and theater scholars and professionals. Plays and other types of performances such as dances and musicals share several elements of other literary forms covered in this textbook.

In this chapter, we will examine drama from both a literary and performance studies standpoint. We will consider the origins of drama, some of its major genres and characteristics, and how to read a dramatic text. Then, we’ll spotlight two plays from two different periods of popular drama: ancient Greece and sixteenth-century England.