Drama Interpretation

Drama, as a genre of literature, is unique in the way it presents and develops its story, characters, and themes. Because there is no narrator or narrative in drama, as in a novel or a short story, the audience must rely on the setting of the play and the characters’ dialogue, facial expressions, and actions to tell the story.

Readers must consider these elements in order to develop interpretations of the play’s themes and characters. As you proceed through the following steps, take notes, highlight, or underline what you notice in the play.

Plot

Begin by considering what happens in the play. A play has a dramatic arc that shows the course of action through an introduction, development of conflict, and resolution of that conflict.

What kind of conflict (serious, light, or satirical) is dramatized?
How might the conflict and dramatic arc develop a theme or shed light on a particular issue?
Are there flashbacks or flash-forwards?
Does any important action take place off-stage or before the beginning of the play?
How does the play draw attention to specific issues by focusing on particular events or conversations?

Acts and Scenes

Although some twentieth-century drama consists of only one act, plays are typically organized into multiple acts and scenes.

It may be helpful to construct a brief outline of each act that includes the setting, major events, and characters introduced.

How is the dramatic arc divided among the acts?
How does each act provide context for the following act?
Does the organization of the play’s events contribute to its themes?

Character

In drama, characters are revealed through dialogue and action rather than through narrative description. Consider what the dialogue reveals about each character.

For each primary character, list key traits (for example, selfish, generous, cowardly, noble) and note lines of dialogue that illustrate those traits.
Repeat this process by act or scene to observe how the character develops or changes over time.
Analyze what other characters say about a character to gain additional insight.
Reflect on how characterization contributes to the development of the play’s themes.

Dialogue

Dialogue is essential to developing both plot and character in drama. Pay close attention to word choice, imagery, metaphors, and puns.

Notice instances of verbal irony—moments when a character’s words convey a meaning that differs from or contradicts the surface meaning.

Consider how the language of the play establishes tone and mood.

Stage Directions

Stage directions are parenthetical comments, usually enclosed in brackets, that describe the setting, characters’ actions, and emotional states. These directions supplement the dialogue and often convey important information.

Example (from Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman):

WILLY. Oh, Biff! [Staring wildly.] He cried! Cried to me. [He is choking with his love and now cried out his promise.] That boy—that boy is going to be magnificent! [Ben appears in the light just outside the kitchen.]

In this scene, the stage directions reveal Willy Loman’s intense emotional connection to his son, adding depth that would not be apparent from dialogue alone.

MLA Formatting Note for Dialogue

Begin each part of dialogue with the character’s name in all capital letters, indented one-half inch from the left margin, followed by a period. Indent all subsequent lines of that character’s speech an additional amount. Start a new line when another character speaks.

In multiple editions of literary works, include division numbers (such as act and scene) in addition to or instead of page numbers so readers can locate the passage in any edition.

Stage Directions in Classical Drama

In Shakespearean and other classical plays, stage directions often indicate entrances, exits, or location.

[Exeunt KING and POLONIUS.]
[Enter HAMLET.]
HAMLET. To be, or not to be, that is the question…

Drama Questions

Use any of the following questions to help analyze and understand a play:

Who is the playwright? Are their nationality and historical context significant?
What is the title of the play, and when was it first performed?
Who is the central character or characters? What are their defining traits?
How are the other characters portrayed?
What is the setting (time and place) of the play?
What is the dramatic question—the central conflict or uncertainty whose resolution we await?
How would you summarize the play’s main events in the order they are presented?
What is the tone of the play? How does the playwright seem to feel about the characters or events?
What kind of language is used? Does it reflect character background, status, or personality?
What is the play’s central theme? Are there multiple themes?
Are there important symbols? What might they suggest?
What is your overall evaluation of the play?

Sources

Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Edited by Kelly J. Mays, The Norton Introduction to Literature, shorter 11th ed., W. W. Norton, 2013.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by Kelly J. Mays, The Norton Introduction to Literature, shorter 11th ed., W. W. Norton, 2013.
Modern Language Association. MLA Handbook, 8th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2016.
Kennedy, X. J., and Dana Gioia, editors. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing, 11th ed., Longman, 2010.