SUBJECT- ENGLISH MAJOR

SUBMITTED BY :-
Name : REHEASH KUMAR
SEMESTER – 2nd
Roll No : 1054
SUBMITTED TO :- SURAKSHIT
CHANDEL
Introduction :
The origin of the drama is deeply
rooted in the religious nature of
mankind. The same applies not only to
English dramas, but also to dramas
from other countries. Ancient Greek
and Roman dramas mainly dealt with
the religious ceremonies of the
people. It was a religious element that
led to the development of the drama.
Most of the Bible is written in Latin, so
the general public could not
understand its meaning. For this
reason, the priests found some new
teaching methods and tried to explain
 the teachings of the Bible to the
general public. To this end, they have
developed a new way in which the
gospel story is explained through
living pictures. The cast recreated the
story in a stupid show

Drama- A drama is a composition

designed for a theater performance in
which an actor acts as a character,
performs a specified plot, and speaks
out written dialogue.

The elements of drama are-

1. Plot
2. Characterization
3. Dialogue
4. Settings
5. Stage directions
6. Conflict
7. Theme
History of English Drama

A drama is a literary work performed

by a professional actor on the stage
(or theater) in front of an audience.
It’s about conflicts, actions, and
specific topics. Impressive makeup,
facial expressions and artist body
language are the hallmarks of live
performances. Although art forms
exist in different countries, the drama
deserves special mention in Britain
because of its relationships with
several legendary playwrights,
including William Shakespeare. Read
the following lines for interesting
information about the history,
background and origins of British
theater.

Interesting Information on
Background & Origin of English
Drama

Emergence
The Romans introduced the drama to
England in the Middle Ages. As for the
land, many auditoriums were built for
this artistic performance. Mummers’
play related to Morris dance became a
popular street theater format during
this period. The performance is based
on the folk tales of St. George, Robin
Hood and the Dragon. The artist went
from town to town to play these folk
tales. In return for their service, they
received money and hospitality. The
mysteries and moral plays at the
medieval religious festival were
Christian-themed.
English Renaissance

The English Renaissance, an English

cultural and artistic movement that
lasted from the 16th to the early
17th century, paved the way for the
dominance of British drama. Queen
Elizabeth, I ruled at a time when great
poetry and drama were born. Notable
playwrights of the time included
William Shakespeare, Christopher
Marlowe, Ben Johnson, and John
Webster. Playwrights wrote plays on
subjects such as history, comedy, and
tragedy. While most playwrights
specialize in only one subject,
Shakespeare became an artist who
created plays based on all three
subjects.

Interregnum (1649-1660)

During the armistice, the Puritans

closed British theaters for their
religious and ideological reasons.
However, in London the theaters
reopened shortly after the
“Reconstruction” in 1660. With the
support of Prince Charles II, the
theater continued to thrive. The
writings of current playwrights and the
appearance of professional actresses
in dramas (previously all female
characters were male) drew public
attention. The Yushin in

Was an opportunity to incorporate

new genres such as Yushin heroism
and comedy into the drama. George
Etheridge’s Fashionable Man (1676),
William Wycherley’s Country Wife
(1676), Aphra Behn’s the Tramp
(1677), John Dryden’s All for Love
(1677) and (AurengZebe) (1675),
Thomas Otway’s Venice Preserved
(1682) was one of the popular plays of
the time. Sexual frankness was the
highlight of the comedy during the
recovery period. The aristocratic spirit
of Prince Charles II and his court
promoted such plays that began in
1660 and continued until 1685.

18th Century

The British Restoration comedy, which

began in the late 17th century,
declined with the advent of the
18th century. Family tragedy and
sentimental comedy have become a
new taste of this era. Burlesque and
musical entertainment at the fair
booth, which preceded the British
music hall, flourished during this
period, reducing the popularity of
legal British theater.

Victorian Era (1837-1901)

During the Victorian era, plays written

by Shakespeare competed with
musical burlesques and comic operas.
Reed Entertainment, a German
company, tried to start a musical
theater in England in 1855. In 1890,
the first series of musical comedies of
the Edwardian era were released in
this country. With the development of
public transportation, the audience
moved, and now it is possible to go to
the theater until late at night. The
number of prospects for English
theaters has increased significantly.
As a result, performances in theaters
began to become longer.

As time passed, more and more

people began to visit the theater. This
made drama a lucrative business. The
increase in the audience led to an
increase in the production value of the
drama. This art form has recorded
consistent performance as it grows in
popularity. Towards the end of the
Victorian era, the fame of the leading
poets and playwrights of the time, W.
S. Gilbert and Oscar Wilde, rose. The
plays Wilde wrote closely resemble
those of Edwardian playwrights such
as George Bernard Shaw (Ireland) and
Henrik Ibsen (Norway).

The Present Time

Many of the 20th century musical

dramas were written by Andrew Lloyd
Webber, who dominated the stage at
the time. His work has been
immensely popular. As a result, the
drama went on Broadway in New York
and around the world. Some of them
have also been made into feature
 films. Postmodernism had a major
impact on the existence of British
drama at the end of the 20th century.
However, there are still many theaters
around Shaftesbury Avenue in West
London. Based in Stratfordupon Avon
(Shakespeare’s hometown), the Royal
Shakespeare Company now produces
most plays written by the legendary
playwright.

Some famous english drama list

 Hamlet

 Macbeth

 King Lear
 Romeo and Juliet

 The Importance of Being Earnest

 Othello

 The Merchant of Venice

 Twelfth Night

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is the father of

English Drama. He wrote 18
comedies, 10 Tragedies and 10
Histories. Shakespeare’s era began in
the 16th century in community
theaters. He wrote for modern theater
and manipulated the Elizabethan
stage with great resourcefulness and
ingenuity. William Shakespeare was
an English playwright, poet and actor,
considered by many to be the
greatest writer in the English
language and the greatest playwright
in the world. He is often referred to as
Britain’s national poet and “The Bard
of Avon”.
Conclusion

A drama is a composition of poetry or

prose performed on the stage, where
the story is told through dialogue and
action, accompanied by gestures,
costumes, and settings as in real life.
The origin of the drama is deeply
rooted in the religious nature of
mankind. The same applies not only to
English dramas, but also to dramas
from other countries. Ancient Greek
and Roman dramas mainly dealt with
the religious ceremonies of the
people. There is no solid evidence of
its origin. Many historians believe that
the drama came to England in 1066
with the Norman Conquest. When the
Romans were in England, they built a
huge Amphitheater to perform some
plays, but when they left the theater,
they disappeared with them. The
evolution of English drama builds a
significant part of the history of
English literature.