The following are some useful questions to keep in mind when trying to interpret a work of drama.
- What is the setting/historical background of the play?
- Who are the characters?
- What is the plain sense of the play?
- What are the characters' personalities?
- Is there a narrator?
- How are characters revealed?
- What do they do?
- Actions/Reactions?
- Temperament
- What do they say?
- Soliloquy - thinking out aloud alone
- Monologue - long public speech
- Dialogue - conversation with others
- Aside - speech addressed to audience
- What genre is the play? Tragedy? Comedy? Tragicomedy? Comedy of manners?
- If a tragedy, what is the protagonist's tragic flaw (hamartia)?
- What motivates the characters?
- What is the protagonist's pride (hubris)?
- Who is the protagonist?
- What are the roles of the other characters?
- Relationship to protagonist?
- Contribution to protagonist's fall?
- Type of character (c.f., stock)?
- How was/is the play performed?
- How do stage directions help in interpreting the play?
- Entries and exits
- Setting and props
- Action off stage
- What significance do the divisions of the play have?
- What makes an act an act?
- What makes a scene a scene?
- What happens to the characters?
- What role does this scene play in the drama?
- What role do figures of speech play within the play?
- What symbolism is present in the play?
- What irony is present in the play?
Select from the playlist any topics of interest.
Resources
Dixon, Michael Bigelow. "How to Read a Play: 30 Ways to Understand a Script." Dramatics. Rpt. from Dramatics. Mar. 2010. 13 Nov. 2025. <https://dramatics.org/how-to-read-a-play/>.
Guide to Drama. Gallaudet University: Academic and Career Success. 13 Nov. 2025. <https://gallaudet.edu/student-success/tutorial-center/english-center/writing/guides-to-understanding-and-writing-different-types-of-literature/guide-to-drama/>.
"Understanding Drama." Texas Gateway for Online Resources. 13 Nov. 2025. <https://texasgateway.org/resource/understanding-drama-0>.
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