Significance of Drama | English Drama

Drama is one of the most prevalent cultural products in ancient and modern societies. It stands unique among other genres of literature with respect to its oratorical conventions, formal techniques and performance component/element. Drama performs numerous distinct functions in either explicit or implicit ways. As a cultural product, it has never been limited or restricted to purely entertainment purposes, rather it has been connected to upholding of religious, moral, political and social values of a society. The drama continues to be professed as a form of civilizing agency or an agent of socialization and transformation which shapes the insight of the society where it is produced. Though, several dramas may blur temporal and spatial boundaries and attain the status of ‘classic’ something of extraordinary quality, unsurpassed and invaluable aesthetic appeal. As drama is not only civilizing and educative agency in its essence but is also fundamental in reviving a culture by preserving its heritage/tradition.

Drama can also be viewed as a procedure of documentation of history, though it is debatable that how far dramatic representation is an amalgamation of reality and fiction. Drama and performances may keep historical events animated and thrive though elaborated but real and authentic stories. Greek tragedy falls partly into this group, since its themes and subjects are drawn from the heroic age, a perfect and glorified past time about a thousand years before the classical age. Likewise, the Ramlila plays of Indian origin are another best example of blending myth and history. These serve to be a form of cultural tradition for the Hindus in the similar sense as Greek myths were perceived in classical Greece. History plays of Shakespeare is another prominent example specially Richard III.

Significance of drama

Within the Muslim world, the historical plays based on heroic legends of Ottoman empire are very general and popular. Historical plays are always grounded in the lost but glorified history. Drama can, also, be a tool to uphold moral values of noblest kind and to provide moral and ethical code of conduct. The Mystery Plays in part restated the message of the Christian gospel, whereas the Ramlila plays celebrate the triumph of love and loyalty over hatred, lust and evil. Thus, drama may also attend a reformative function and instill moral values and wisdom.

Furthermore, human beings seek out pleasure and entertainment in performing arts specially in drama. Play goers seek refuge in performances from the harsh realisms of life. These not only appeal to their aesthetics sense but also undermine them from their gloomy and monotonous routines. Poetic justice provides relief and strengthens belief in just godly system. Human beings interact and involve with the characters and invest meanings to the performances which provide them intellectual satisfaction/gratification.

Furthermore, this reinforces Aristotelian claim that mimesis is fundamentally innate to humanity and a source of natural pleasure. Additionally, we enjoy watching or hearing a story gradually unfolding. This involves not only intellectual interaction but also emotional one as the audience or spectators associate themselves with the characters and their experiences as well as resonate with their tales of happiness and anguish. Stories are all pervasive and unescapable and common to our modern landscape and the art of storytelling is as earliest or ancient as is the human civilization itself. Much of the cultural wisdom has been transferred from one age group to another age group in the form of folk stories which often reflect ‘cultural consciousness’ either in extended or shortened narration. However, for Greeks drama came later than the pure narration of stories without concerning any action or performance.