English Literature Stepping up from GCSE to A
Description: English Literature Stepping up from GCSE to A Level Drama So far we have covered: HOW and WHY a writer does some thing; Being tentative; Critical and Further Reading, and Tension. Today we will be looking at two new ideas: CONFLICT (a
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slide1. English Literature Stepping up from GCSE to A Level<br>
slide2. Drama So far we have covered:
HOW and WHY a writer does some thing;
Being tentative;
Critical and Further Reading, and
Tension.
Today we will be looking at two new ideas:
CONFLICT (a source of tension).
STAGECRAFT (dramatic form).<br>
slide3. CONFLICT Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said “No conflict, no drama”.
“Conflict generally occurs when a character cannot achieve an objective due to an obstacle. This obstacle may be internal or external – between characters or between characters and their environment. Conflict can be shown in a variety of ways, for example through physical, verbal or psychological means. Conflict can be embedded in the structure of the drama…” (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Drama Study Design, p.10).<br>
slide4. As stage plays begin their life as unperformed literature, let us examine the nature of conflict from a literary perspective.
It has been argued that there are seven types of narrative conflict:
Person vs. Fate/God.
Person vs. Self.
Person vs. Person.
Person vs. Society.
Person vs. Nature.
Person vs. Supernatural.
Person vs. Technology.<br>
slide5. Internal and external conflict Internal Conflict:
Person vs Self.
External Conflict:
Person vs. Fate/God.
Person vs. Person.
Person vs. Society.
Person vs. Nature.
Person vs. Supernatural.
Person vs. Technology.<br>
slide6. To be or not to be Inner conflict usually sees troubled characters (often the play’s protagonist) suffering from inner turmoil. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a fine example. Literary and theatrical conventions of the day enabled the audience easy access to a character’s thoughts.
This is what we call STAGECRAFT. The way the author stages her ideas.
In this case Shakespeare wants to STAGE inner conflict, so employs the formal theatrical techniques of the SOLILOQUY.
It is no accident literature’s most famous soliloquy “To be, or not to be…” comes from this very play.<br>
slide7. Other forms of conflict External conflict can be between two or more characters and can be non-verbal (psychological), verbal or physical.
But some of the theatre’s greatest plays see characters either at odds with their environment or experiencing conflict with the world in which they live.
These plays that present us with characters in conflict with society and/or nature often show us conflict on a grander scale than simply characters conflicting against each other.
Yet on its simplest level, external conflict is usually represented by a character whose objectives in the plot are impeded by the actions of another (opposing) character.
This type of conflict clearly illustrates the needs and desires of different characters in a play, and without it the drama would be listless. Often (but not always) these characters are the play’s protagonist and antagonist.
CONFLICT in a theatrical performance often differs from TENSION in that it is normally a more permanent part of the structure of the play, as opposed to a brief moment of suspense that is more transient.<br>
slide8. Staging conflict This is a key idea for you when approaching drama.
How do the playwrights stage their ideas?
Poetic FORM is the shape of the poem on the page, the silhouette (STRUCTURE is the X-ray) – some of these shapes have names like sonnet, villanelle, etc. – but what the poet chooses shapes and affects the reader, or is meant to.
Dramatic FORM is the shape of the play on the stage, stagecraft. Again, some of these ‘shapes’ have names: comedy, tragedy, melodrama, etc. – but the conventions that the playwright chooses to work with is in some way intended to shape an audiences response to what they see and hear.<br>
slide9. Look at these two versions of the same scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dgbbtUbgcM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X8IgWWKpVw
FIRSTLY – what forms of conflict are here?
IN PAIRS - discuss the choices that both the directors and actors have made in staging Lady Macbeth’s madness.<br>
slide10. Produce a paragraph How has Shakespeare staged Lady Macbeth’s madness?
What should be our A Level success criteria?<br>
slide11. This resource is strictly for the use of member schools for as long as they remain members of The PiXL Club. It may not be copied, sold or transferred to a third party or used by the school after membership ceases. Until such time it may be freely used within the member school.
All opinions and contributions are those of the authors. The contents of this resource are not connected with, or endorsed by, any other company, organisation or institution. These papers were made by teachers in good faith based upon our understanding to date.
PiXL Club Ltd endeavour to trace and contact copyright owners. If there are any inadvertent omissions or errors in the acknowledgements or usage, this is unintended and PiXL will remedy these on written notification. © The PiXL Club Ltd. September 2018<br>
slide2. Drama So far we have covered:
HOW and WHY a writer does some thing;
Being tentative;
Critical and Further Reading, and
Tension.
Today we will be looking at two new ideas:
CONFLICT (a source of tension).
STAGECRAFT (dramatic form).<br>
slide3. CONFLICT Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said “No conflict, no drama”.
“Conflict generally occurs when a character cannot achieve an objective due to an obstacle. This obstacle may be internal or external – between characters or between characters and their environment. Conflict can be shown in a variety of ways, for example through physical, verbal or psychological means. Conflict can be embedded in the structure of the drama…” (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Drama Study Design, p.10).<br>
slide4. As stage plays begin their life as unperformed literature, let us examine the nature of conflict from a literary perspective.
It has been argued that there are seven types of narrative conflict:
Person vs. Fate/God.
Person vs. Self.
Person vs. Person.
Person vs. Society.
Person vs. Nature.
Person vs. Supernatural.
Person vs. Technology.<br>
slide5. Internal and external conflict Internal Conflict:
Person vs Self.
External Conflict:
Person vs. Fate/God.
Person vs. Person.
Person vs. Society.
Person vs. Nature.
Person vs. Supernatural.
Person vs. Technology.<br>
slide6. To be or not to be Inner conflict usually sees troubled characters (often the play’s protagonist) suffering from inner turmoil. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a fine example. Literary and theatrical conventions of the day enabled the audience easy access to a character’s thoughts.
This is what we call STAGECRAFT. The way the author stages her ideas.
In this case Shakespeare wants to STAGE inner conflict, so employs the formal theatrical techniques of the SOLILOQUY.
It is no accident literature’s most famous soliloquy “To be, or not to be…” comes from this very play.<br>
slide7. Other forms of conflict External conflict can be between two or more characters and can be non-verbal (psychological), verbal or physical.
But some of the theatre’s greatest plays see characters either at odds with their environment or experiencing conflict with the world in which they live.
These plays that present us with characters in conflict with society and/or nature often show us conflict on a grander scale than simply characters conflicting against each other.
Yet on its simplest level, external conflict is usually represented by a character whose objectives in the plot are impeded by the actions of another (opposing) character.
This type of conflict clearly illustrates the needs and desires of different characters in a play, and without it the drama would be listless. Often (but not always) these characters are the play’s protagonist and antagonist.
CONFLICT in a theatrical performance often differs from TENSION in that it is normally a more permanent part of the structure of the play, as opposed to a brief moment of suspense that is more transient.<br>
slide8. Staging conflict This is a key idea for you when approaching drama.
How do the playwrights stage their ideas?
Poetic FORM is the shape of the poem on the page, the silhouette (STRUCTURE is the X-ray) – some of these shapes have names like sonnet, villanelle, etc. – but what the poet chooses shapes and affects the reader, or is meant to.
Dramatic FORM is the shape of the play on the stage, stagecraft. Again, some of these ‘shapes’ have names: comedy, tragedy, melodrama, etc. – but the conventions that the playwright chooses to work with is in some way intended to shape an audiences response to what they see and hear.<br>
slide9. Look at these two versions of the same scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dgbbtUbgcM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X8IgWWKpVw
FIRSTLY – what forms of conflict are here?
IN PAIRS - discuss the choices that both the directors and actors have made in staging Lady Macbeth’s madness.<br>
slide10. Produce a paragraph How has Shakespeare staged Lady Macbeth’s madness?
What should be our A Level success criteria?<br>
slide11. This resource is strictly for the use of member schools for as long as they remain members of The PiXL Club. It may not be copied, sold or transferred to a third party or used by the school after membership ceases. Until such time it may be freely used within the member school.
All opinions and contributions are those of the authors. The contents of this resource are not connected with, or endorsed by, any other company, organisation or institution. These papers were made by teachers in good faith based upon our understanding to date.
PiXL Club Ltd endeavour to trace and contact copyright owners. If there are any inadvertent omissions or errors in the acknowledgements or usage, this is unintended and PiXL will remedy these on written notification. © The PiXL Club Ltd. September 2018<br>