drama essays examples

Essays About Drama: Top 5 Examples and 5 Prompts

The word drama covers many meanings and subjects; if you are writing essays about drama, discover our guide with interesting essay examples and writing prompts featured here.

What is drama to you? Many know it as a situation or event in which emotions run high. For others, the grand, intricate stage plays of Shakespeare and others of his time come to mind. Regardless, these and all other definitions of drama share one thing in common: emotion.

In all its forms, from theatre to television to cinema to even day-to-day interaction, drama is always centered around emotion, tension, and conflict- things we experience daily. Drama is, quite literally, our life, complete with all its imperfections, troubles, twists, and turns. 

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1. The History of Drama by Homer Stewart

2. why the news is not the truth by peter vanderwicken, 3. drama reflection essay (author unknown), 4. kitchen sink dramas by rodolfo chandler, 5. love yourself, not your drama by crystal jackson, 6. shakespeare’s theater: an essay from the folger shakespeare editions by barbara mowat and paul werstine, 1. what is drama, 2. types of drama, 3. the history of drama, 4. is the world over-dramatized today, 5. a dramatic incident of the past.

“Perhaps the most theatrical form of drama was opera which is still popular in today’s society. Broadway is certainly a sight that attracts thousands of people annually. In addition, the playwrights of today are striving to make the theatrical experience meaningful to the lives of viewers so that it is not just simply “pleasant entertainment”. Many themes that drama plays in modern times focus on are social problems, tragedies involving the elements of love and hate and as well as social problems that affect the inhabitants of today.”

Stewart gives readers a brief history of drama and its subjects. In different eras, the plays were based around themes and ideas prevalent in those times; for example, the Romantic Period focused on the “experiences of ordinary people.” He also references several playwrights, including Friedrich von Schiller and Percy Bysshe Shelley. In modern times, drama is centered around critical social issues while still managing to be engaging and entertaining.

“Pulitzer turned them into stories with a sharp dramatic focus that both implied and aroused intense public interest. Most newspapers of the time looked like the front page of the Wall Street Journal still does. Pulitzer made stories dramatic by adding blaring headlines, big pictures, and eye-catching graphics. His journalism took events out of their dry, institutional contexts and made them emotional rather than rational, immediate rather than considered, and sensational rather than informative.”

Vanderwicken criticizes the state of news today, saying that many stories are dramatized and outright fabricated to make them more entertaining. He attributes this to Joseph Pulitzer of Pulitzer Prize fame, who introduced He also gives historical examples of instances where the media has exaggerated – news today is too dramatic, and it must change.

You might also be interested in these essays about Macbeth .

“I felt that this learning experience is a very huge step because it takes us from doing a play which is very immature in to something that is big and has maturity in it. It helps me to practice in fluency, public speaking and mostly self-confidence. In the play I developed my ways of acting and how to put emotions in to the character, in which those emotions were not really me.”

This essay describes lessons one can learn from performing drama, such as confidence and speaking fluently. The author also reflects on an experience performing in drama, where the author learned to be more expressive, speak better, and become more hardworking. There is also a brief discussion on the elements of drama, including plot and setting. Drama is important and can teach you essential skills and lessons. 

“In the late 1950s in Britain, the “Kitchen Sink movement”, which is also known as “Kitchen Sink realism” occurred. This cultural movement stemed from ideas about working class activities. A typical writer of kitchen sink dramas is John Osborne, for example his drama “Look back in anger” which aroused many strong opinions when it was first performed as a drama. It is set in a small flat in the west midlands, which is typical of working class people.”

Chandler describes a period in drama where “kitchen sink dramas” depicted working-class stories. He uses John Osborne’s “Look Back in Anger” as an example, briefly describing the play. Jimmy, one of the characters, was known as an “angry young man,” This term was later used to describe young people critical of the social and political state of the world.

“We learn to recognize co-dependence, narcissism, and toxicity for what they are rather than making excuses because we liked the look of someone. In other words, we grow up. We stay in love with our own toxic patterns and keep the cycle of damage going, or we recognize the collateral damage of all our drama and start wanting better for ourselves. We make choices. We experience consequences. If we grow up, we’ll even connect the two.”

Jackson’s essay discusses drama from another perspective, the drama that comes with love life. She gives readers tips on how to care for yourself better and look past all the tension, confusion, and drama that comes with dating. If we look at potential partners from a deeper, more constructive point of view, we can avoid toxic relationships and have a healthy love life. 

“When performance required that an actor appear “above,” as when Juliet is imagined to stand at the window of her chamber in the famous and misnamed “balcony scene,” then the actor probably climbed the stairs to the gallery over the back of the stage and temporarily shared it with some of the spectators. The stage was also provided with ropes and winches so that actors could descend from, and reascend to, the “heavens.””

In their essay, Mowat and Werstine discuss the conventions of performing Shakespearean drama during his time, including the performance of some scenes in different areas of the theater and men playing women’s roles. They also discuss how the theaters they performed in, such as the Globe Theatre, enhanced the plays’ dramatic effect.

5 Prompts for Essays About Drama

The word drama has many meanings and is used differently, as seen in the essay examples above. In your essay, give the word’s etymology, explain the different sides of drama, from theatre to school life, and give examples of how they exemplify the meaning. Explain how they are all connected as well. 

Drama in the context of theatre has four primary forms: comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy, and melodrama. Discuss each type of drama and elaborate on its characteristics. If you wish, compare and contrast them as well. Be sure to give examples of plays when explaining them.   

In your essay, you can also discuss the different periods in the history of drama. Explain what occurred in these periods, how drama changed, and their effects on modern drama. You need not explore too many periods; just make sure you write about key developments and explain them adequately. 

In the world today, the resilience of survivors is glorified and dramatized, while we see media outlets making headlines out of mere gossip and celebrity news. From this, it can be argued that society is centered around making a drama out of nothing. Why is this the case? Discuss your opinion on this issue- feel free to research if you need inspiration. 

Look back to a past event marked by tension, emotion, and drama. Narrate the events and explain how they made you feel- did you learn anything from them? This can be either your own experience or just an event from history or the news. You can read this essay for further inspiration. 

Note: drama can mean different things to different people, so what you consider “dramatic” is up to you.For help picking your next essay topic, check out our top essay topics about love .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Drama Essay Examples

Exploring the themes of knowledge and time in stoppard's 'arcadia'.

Arcadia, a play written by Tom Stoppard, is overwhelmed with futuristic thoughts and ideas that create intricate conflicts between characters. The leading difficulty is how the audience is forced to attempt to understand them. They have to try to grasp ideas from an array of...

The Analysis of Susan Glaspell's Play "Wastes of Time"

Susan Glaspell's play Wastes of time delineates the connection among married couples, with the dedication and loyalty basically in wedded life. As the play opens we see a presuming scene an untidy kitchen that reflects something fishy how the lady are being pushed in the...

The Theme of Justice in the Oresteia by Aeschylus

Throughout the trilogy, The Oresteia, there is a central theme of justice portrayed by Aeschylus. In each of the three plays, justice stems from the ancient guidelines but soon evolves into a more civil justice defined by Athena, with the intention to stop the people...

Comparsion of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and Its Film Adaptation by Ralph Fiennes

Although Ralph Fiennes’ film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus sticks largely to the facts as reported in the original story, it differs noticeably from Plutarch’s Life of Coriolanus in terms of how the play tends to compress some events in order to increase the dramatization. Furthermore,...

Analysis of the Main Themes in the Play Our Town

Our Town is a play that was first published in 1938, set in the early 1900s in Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire. It is centered around a small town of people who are very old-fashioned and set in their ways, going through life without appreciating it....

A Theme of Gender Equality in Trifles by Susan Glaspell

Marie Shear stated, “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.” There are no truer words when it comes to the story portrayed in the short drama, Trifles, written by Susan Glaspell. This play emphasizes the gender roles placed onto women and illustrates the...

Analysis of the Character of Volumnia in Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

In Coriolanus, Volumnia is a strong, powerful mother who has raised the seemingly perfect soldier. She is constantly talking of the joys of war and how she hopes to see her son wounded. These wounds and the admiration that comes with them are a place...

The Issue of Patriarchy and Gender Inequality in Trifles

During the 20th century, women’s roles were limited marriage and motherhood, and housewives, which caused domestic dependency which resulted in daily lives being rules by patriarchy since men did not see them as equals. During the years leading up women’s suffrage in the United States,...

The Role of Gender in Trifles by Susan Glaspell

In Susan Glaspell’s short play Trifles, the reader is met with the ongoing case of John Wright’s murder. One moral that the play depicts is that women and men see things differently. According to the male characters, the women only care about issues that have...

Review of the Book the Mystery of Flight 2222 by Thomas Neviaser: the Story of Survival, Hunger and Fear

The Mystery of flight 2222 by Thomas Neviaser is a twisted book full of mystery, drama, and action. This book is very interesting and the story keeps surprising you with twists and turns. It’s a story about survival, hunger and fear. The interesting thing about...

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A New Approach to LSAT Writing Will Debut on July 30, 2024

By Susan Krinsky

As legal education curricula and the practice of law continue to change with the times, LSAC is innovating to provide a new writing assessment that responds to the evolving needs of the profession.

On July 30, a redesigned approach to the LSAT Writing section of the LSAT will make its debut as we open the 2024-2025 testing cycle, which begins with the August administration of the LSAT.

This new approach to the writing assessment will help law schools continue to make holistic admission decisions and help prospective law students better prepare for the writing they will do in law school and beyond – still without the need for any specialized skills, knowledge, or experience with legal concepts.

Since 1982, LSAT Writing prompts have been designed to assess logical reasoning in the context of argumentative writing. But legal education curricula, the legal profession, and the demands of legal practice continue to evolve. In our ongoing conversations with law schools and the legal profession, we hear consistently about the importance of strong analytical and argumentative writing skills and the need to better assess a student’s potential earlier in their academic journey.

Based on input from our member schools and other stakeholders in the legal profession, the new LSAT Writing section of the LSAT will be an even more effective tool for assessing the writing skills of individuals prior to law school. These changes will help schools better understand the writing capabilities of applicants for the purposes of their admission decisions. It will also enable law schools to better provide writing support for their students who need to strengthen their writing skills so they are better prepared for bar passage, finding employment, and practice.

This new approach aims to assess a test taker’s ability to construct a cogent argument based on a variety of evidentiary sources. Test takers will be presented with a debatable issue along with different perspectives that provide additional context. These perspectives, each of which is conveyed in a few sentences, are representative of a system of beliefs or values. Together, the perspectives illustrate competing ideologies and arguments around a particular issue. The test taker will then draft an argumentative essay in which they take a position, while addressing some of the arguments and ideas presented by the other perspectives.

The new argumentative writing task is designed to give test takers a clearer, more authentic writing purpose than the former “decision based” LSAT Writing prompt, which was more narrowly focused on pure logical reasoning. When test takers have an opportunity to construct an original thesis and defend it based on their own judgment and analytical evaluation, rather than following pre-ordained lines of reasoning, we can better assess a broader and more complex range of decision-making skills that writers engage in.

By adopting this design, we’re not only enabling individuals to have a more authentic voice in their argument, but we are also better positioned to evaluate the writer’s ability to employ various rhetorical techniques, evidentiary strategies, and other important aspects of argumentative writing.  

Given the additional reading required, we will be adding a short preparatory period to the LSAT Writing test, which test takers can use to organize their thoughts using guided prewriting analysis questions and to take notes using the digital notetaking tool provided in the testing environment. The questions are designed to help test takers analyze the various perspectives and generate productive ideas for their essay. Most test takers will have a total of 50 minutes – 15 minutes for prewriting analysis and 35 minutes for essay writing. Test takers with approved accommodations for additional time will have their time allocations adjusted accordingly.

To give test takers the opportunity to prepare, we have published a sample prompt as part of the free Official LSAT PrepTest library available in LawHub . Test takers can begin to familiarize themselves with the new approach and take practice LSAT Writing sessions in the official LSAT Writing environment.

We are also providing a sample of the new LSAT Writing prompt on LSAC.org . It should be noted that this LSAC.org sample is a “text only” version and that test functionality, including the timing function, is included in the practice environment in LawHub .

LSAT Writing has always been a part of the LSAT. Over the years, law schools have expressed the desire to make greater use of the writing portion in their holistic evaluations, so we moved to a digital assessment (instead of handwritten) so that schools could receive, read, and evaluate the students’ work. The changes we are announcing today will make the writing sample even more useful to schools in their evaluation and admission processes.

For the 2024-2025 testing cycle, LSAT Writing will remain an unscored part of the LSAT. Over the course of the 2024-2025 testing cycle, we will be analyzing data of the new LSAT Writing prompt to assess its validity and reliability with a long-term goal of providing a scored LSAT Writing assessment that schools may use in their holistic admission process.

We are excited to offer this new approach to LSAT Writing, starting August 1. We believe this new approach will allow test takers to demonstrate their writing skills even more effectively and will provide schools with even more insight into the strengths and potential of applicants.

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Susan L. Krinsky

The Final Solution: a Defining Moment in World War II History

This essay about the Final Solution explores the chilling depths of World War II, detailing the systematic genocide of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime. It traces the origins of this diabolical plan, its execution through extermination camps and Einsatzgruppen, and the legacy it leaves on human nature, morality, and the commitment to never forget and prevent such atrocities in the future.

How it works

The Final Solution remains one of the most harrowing and defining episodes of World War II, epitomizing the extreme cruelty and systematic genocide orchestrated by the Nazi regime. This diabolical plan aimed to annihilate the Jewish people, leading to the deaths of six million Jews, alongside millions of others deemed undesirable by Nazi ideology, including Romani individuals, people with disabilities, political dissidents, and more.

The roots of the Final Solution can be traced to the virulent anti-Semitic beliefs deeply embedded in the Nazi Party and its leader, Adolf Hitler.

While anti-Semitism had long existed in Europe, the Nazi version was unique in its intensity and the extent to which it became enshrined in state policy. Following Hitler’s rise to power in 1933, the persecution of Jews grew increasingly systematic. The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 codified racial discrimination, stripping Jews of citizenship rights and forbidding marriages or sexual relations between Jews and non-Jews.

As the war expanded, so did the measures against Jews. Initially, the Nazis explored various strategies to expel Jews from Germany and occupied territories, including forced emigration. However, with the continued conquest of Europe, Nazi leadership shifted from expulsion to annihilation. The infamous Wannsee Conference, convened on January 20, 1942, marked the formalization of the Final Solution. Senior Nazi officials, led by SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, discussed and coordinated the logistics of mass murder, transitioning from sporadic killings to a centrally orchestrated, industrialized process of genocide.

The execution of the Final Solution relied on the establishment of extermination camps. Unlike concentration camps, primarily used for forced labor, extermination camps were designed explicitly for mass murder. Camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzec became death factories where Jews and other victims were systematically killed, predominantly in gas chambers. Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of these camps, became a symbol of the Holocaust, with an estimated 1.1 million people murdered there, the majority of them Jews.

The Final Solution also involved the Einsatzgruppen, mobile killing units that followed the German army’s advance into the Soviet Union. These units were responsible for mass shootings, primarily of Jews but also of Romani people, communists, and others. They conducted operations across Eastern Europe, culminating in massacres like that at Babi Yar, where over 33,000 Jews were slaughtered in a ravine outside Kyiv.

The genocide enacted through the Final Solution was facilitated by widespread complicity and apathy. Local collaborators across Europe assisted in rounding up Jews, motivated by anti-Semitism, greed, or fear. The bureaucratic efficiency of the Nazi state, with its meticulous record-keeping and coordination, starkly contrasts the chaos and destruction it inflicted on its victims. Trains transporting Jews to death camps ran on schedule, reflecting a perverse sense of normalcy amidst the horror.

The world was slow to grasp the full extent of the Final Solution. Reports from escapees and resistance fighters were often met with skepticism or disbelief. The sheer scale and horror of the Holocaust were difficult for many to comprehend. However, as Allied forces advanced into Nazi-occupied Europe and began liberating concentration and extermination camps, the gruesome reality became undeniable. Soldiers, journalists, and the global public were confronted with images and testimonies of unimaginable suffering and death.

The legacy of the Final Solution is multifaceted. It serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked hatred, bigotry, and authoritarianism. The Nuremberg Trials, held after the war, brought many of the perpetrators to justice and established a precedent for prosecuting crimes against humanity and genocide. The Holocaust also profoundly impacted Jewish identity and the global Jewish community, contributing to the urgency of establishing the State of Israel as a homeland and refuge for Jews worldwide.

Educational and memorial efforts strive to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive, ensuring that future generations understand the gravity of the events and the importance of preventing such atrocities in the future. Institutions like Yad Vashem in Israel, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and numerous memorials across Europe serve as places of remembrance and education.

Yet, the Final Solution also poses enduring questions about human nature, morality, and the capacity for evil. How could such a meticulously planned and executed genocide occur in the heart of Europe, in the 20th century? What societal conditions and individual choices allowed for the systematic dehumanization and annihilation of millions? These questions continue to resonate, especially in light of ongoing conflicts and genocides around the world.

The Holocaust underscores the importance of vigilance against hate and the need for a commitment to human rights and dignity. It highlights the role of ordinary individuals in either perpetuating or resisting evil. Stories of resistance, from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to the efforts of individuals like Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg, illustrate the impact of courage and moral conviction.

In reflecting on the Final Solution, it is crucial to honor the memories of the victims and to learn from this dark chapter of history. The phrase “Never Again” encapsulates a commitment to preventing genocide and upholding the principles of justice and humanity. The Holocaust is not merely a historical event but a profound lesson on the consequences of hatred and the moral imperative to combat it in all its forms.

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Hugh Jackman Time Travels To Save Rachel Weisz in This Underrated Darren Aronofksy Drama

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The Big Picture

• The Fountain follows the love story of Tom and Izzi with intertwining narratives over a tragic backdrop.
• Darren Aronofsky originally sought Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett for The Fountain.
• Jackman and Weisz deliver gripping performances in The Fountain , creating intimate bonds with viewers.

Darren Aronofsky 's filmography might be one of the more interesting in Hollywood history. His biggest film, Requiem for a Dream , doubles as a love letter to the anime masterpiece Perfect Blue . His latest film, The Whale , is polarizing; some think it was compelling, while others feel he went overboard with his depiction of a morbidly obese teacher. He's even been linked to reboots of RoboCop and Batman , which actually sound intriguing (at least more so than the actual RoboCop reboot that graced theater screens in 2014.) One of his best films, The Fountain , delivers its own unique take on a love story with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz as the leads. But it could have been far, far different as Aronofsky originally had a bigger budget and a different pair of actors in mind .

The Fountain

As a modern-day scientist, Tommy is struggling with mortality, desperately searching for the medical breakthrough that will save the life of his cancer-stricken wife, Izzi.

What Is 'The Fountain' About?

The Fountain , at first glance, seems like a love story - albeit one with a tragic edge. Dr. Tommy Creo (Jackman) is a brilliant scientist who is working around the clock to prevent his wife Izzi (Weisz) from succumbing to a brain tumor. Despite Creo's best efforts, Izzi dies, leading him to pursue a cure to stop death itself. That alone would be more than enough to carry a film, but Aronofsky went above and beyond by adding a pair of intertwining narratives. One concerns Tomás Creo, a conquistador who sets forth on a pilgrimage to find the fabled Fountain of Youth - and win the heart of Isabella. The other leaps forward to the 26th century, as a man named Tom travels through space while tending to a massive tree. All three of these stories are connected by Jackman and Weisz; the two play multiple roles, while the script slowly starts forging connections between their characters.

Darren Aronofsky Sought out a Different Pair of Actors and a Bigger Budget for 'The Fountain'

Aronofsky's original plan for The Fountain would have seen a different pair of actors slip into the role of literal star-crossed lovers. He aimed for Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett to play the leads. Production soon halted when Blanchett became pregnant, leading to ballooning costs. It wasn't until producer Eric Watson secured funding from Regency that The Fountain was able to move forward. But Pitt wound up leaving the project after the first day of shooting . Aronofsky admitted that the reason for Pitt's departure fell solely on his shoulders, as he'd failed to complete revisions to the script that Pitt had requested. "After working together for two and a half years, Brad lost trust in me and faith in the project," Aronofsky told Wired . "He told me he felt like he was breaking up with a girl."

Blanchett departed production shortly after, leaving Warner Bros. to shut down filming and even auction off props. Eventually, Jackman and Weisz were hired in 2004 and filming resumed . Aronofsky chose Jackman after watching his performance in a Broadway production of The Boy From Oz and felt he could rise to the challenge of playing three characters. "I was like, This guy is great. Then I met him and he was really an amazing guy and I could just see that it was the right time for both us because he needed a role that could show a lot of dimension." Ironically, Russell Crowe was Aronofsky's first choice for a replacement - Jackman had inched out over Crowe and Dougray Scott for the role of Wolverine in the X-Men films.

Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz Make 'The Fountain' Worth Watching

Even if Aronofsky imagined a different vision for The Fountain , Jackman and Weisz turned out to be the best choices for the lead roles. They both rise to the challenge of playing multiple roles, which results in some gripping performances . Jackman carries the pain of a man who's losing the love of his life and the determination never to let it happen again; a key moment features him breaking down in tears when he sees the imprint of his missing wedding band. It's a small but stark reminder that the love of his life isn't coming back. Weisz also runs the gamut of emotions, particularly as Queen Isabella. When she charges Tomas to find the Fountain of Youth, Aronofsky's camera lingers on her eyes and hands, creating an intimate bond not just between queen and conquistador, but filmmaker and audience. When Isabella says "Together we will live forever," it feels as though she's talking directly to the viewer. It's hard to imagine anyone but Weisz delivering these lines, yet Aronofsky - who was dating her at the time - was reluctant to cast her. It took some prodding on Jackman's part, as he felt she'd be right for the role. "She’s the emotional core of that movie," he said in an interview .

'The Fountain' Delivers Stunning Images & Deep Themes on a Small Budget

When Aronofsky resumed work on The Fountain, he had a reduced budget. Originally budgeted for $70 million, the final film comes in at a budget of $35 million - yet it still delivers imagery that is a visual marvel. Part of that is due to the cinematography by Matthew Libatique . Whether it's the vast reaches of space or the forests of Central America, Libatique utilizes light and framing to craft images that look like paintings. Notable moments include Tom using his mind to travel through space and time, a tree growing out of a wound in Tomas' stomach, and a pen gliding across papers as Tommy writes letters to Izzi. Aronofsky and editor Jay Rabinowitz also utilize some clever camera tricks to create a smooth narrative. The Fountain often uses match cuts, creating the illusion that the story is jumping through time and space. With the multiple roles Jackman and Weisz play, it helps sell the idea that this is one story being told from three different points of view.

The Fountain was met with mixed critical reception when it was first released, but over the years has been praised for its ambition and narrative . It's well deserved, as Aronofsky handles the subjects of death and love with care, while Jackman and Weisz deliver some phenomenal performances. Its ending even manages to tie all three stories together, and true to form, it's an ending that defies the very concept of time . Though Aronofsky might be a divisive filmmaker in Hollywood, The Fountain is one of, if not the best, entry in his filmography.

The Fountain is available to rent on Amazon in the U.S.

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