In the same way that a painter uses shape, color, perspective, and other aspects of visual art to create a painting, a playwright uses plot, character, setting and staging, dialogue, and theme to create artistic effect in drama. These aspects of drama are known as the formal elements. An understanding of the formal elements will enhance the reader's appreciation of any play, as well as his or her ability to share perceptions with others.

While the list of formal elements encourages us to divide a play into parts, in the play itself these elements blend to create a whole. At some level, or perhaps in the first reading of a piece, readers should read without applying these divisions in order to experience the play's unique effect. Nevertheless, knowledge of the formal elements is necessary for most critical discussions of drama. These elements provide a basic vocabulary and set of critical tools that can be used in conjunction with many other critical approaches.

The Elements of Drama in “Antigone”: Analysis and Interactive Exercises

To examine what roles some of the elements of drama play in Antigone, click on one of the following choices. The highlighted portions of the play link to analysis and questions. Responses to the questions can be added to your notebook—this will be collated so that you can print or e-mail your work when you are finished.

>Plot
>Character
>Setting and Staging
>Dialogue
>Performance
>Theme