Play Analysis Form Notes
1. Theme: One complete sentence of the message or lesson about life.
The play Our Town shows us that we should appreciate the little things in life because we never know when they might be taken away from us.
2. Classifications:
Tragedy – serious in nature/tone
deals with profound problems in humanity
Tragic problems: identity, destiny, good, evil, individual responsibility, forces of the universe
Examples: Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, Death of a Salesman
Movies: Romeo and Juliet,
Catharsis: fear, pity
Tragicomedy: serious drama – we worry for the protagonist
The play ends happily.
Comedy – delights and entertains
characters act in the spirit of fun
Comedic attitude: discomfort, mistaken identity, self-ignorance
Anti-social behavior, unique characters,
Language – puns, insults, play on words
Examples: The Importance of Being Earnest, The Foreigner,
The Odd Couple
Movies: The Lego Movie,
Catharsis: laughter –we see human frailties
*Other forms of comedy:
Dark/black comedy: evokes grim humor, the ridiculous and serious are mixed to create laughter
Example: Grave diggers scene in Hamlet
Movies:
High comedy: social comedy, comedy of manners
intellectual appeal, sophisticated audiences
social weapon – critical laughter
Example: A Woman of No Importance
Movies:
Farce/low comedy: main purpose is to amuse
lots of physical comedy
Examples: No Sex Please, We’re British, The Miser
Movies: 22 Jump Street,
Musical comedy: plot is revealed through music
Examples: My Fair Lady, State Fair, The Music Man
Movies: High School Musical,
Melodrama: (music and drama)creates the illusion of real people in genuine situations or jeopardy
plot is manipulated to reprieve, rescue, reform
escape from danger, excitement, suspense, thrills
Examples: Dial M for Murder, The Diviners
Movies: The Fault in Our Stars, Indiana Jones
Catharsis: pathos – suspense, terror, hate, sympathy
3. Plot: the shape of the action, series of incidents
Summarize what happens in the play for me.
Explain the “denouement.” How does the play end?
4. Exposition: the first part of the play
How are characters, time and place revealed?
5. Conflict: Please discuss what type/s of conflict exist in the play.
Conflict means there is confrontation from an opposing force.
Man vs. man
Man vs. nature
Man vs. self
Man vs. society
6. Characters: Tell me about the characters
Unique – the character changes and grows in the play
He/she is not entirely good or bad
Stereotypical - the character does not grow or change.
He/she fits a “typical” or stock character description.
Discuss appearance, speech pattern, actions, what other say about him/her, his/her reactions
7.Quotation – This is simple. Listen and write it down.
8.Set: Describe all the elements of the set. See the questions.
9. What did you like about the play? Explain, support.
10. What didn’t you like about the play? Explain, support.