THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ONE ACT PLAY AS A LITERARY FORM
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INTRODUCTION
One act play is an important literary type. To define (describe, classify , identify) it in simple words, it is a play in one act.
According to this definition one act play has only one act in it. It does not have three or four acts. As it is a play, it should be performed on the stage. It is in contrast (different) with a short story. A short story is narrated (tell, recite) and a one act play is enacted (performed). In other words, a one act play is performed. Eg. Helmet by Shakespeare is long play in more than one act so it is a drama. But play’s like the Monkey’s Paw or A Marriage Proposal is a one act play as it has only one act.
A one act play deals with single dominant (leading, main, central, major) dramatic situation. To create the maximum effect, a one act play demands artistic (creative, imaginative) unity and economy of character and time. The one act play A Marriage Proposal has only three characters. Among these three, only two are very important.
- The parts/aspects/ features/ mechanics (technicalities) of a one act play:
I. Plot
II. Dramatic rhythm
III. Action
IV. Conflict
V. Character
VI. Dialogue
Now, let’s discuss the above mentioned points one by one in brief.
(1) PLOT :
In one act play, a dramatic deals with a single interesting incident. Due to this, there can not be a subplot or more themes. The dramatist chooses a single situation that results in climax. It even dose not allow the character to develop gradually (slowly, steadily, little by little). The best or the worst side of the character comes out unexpectedly (without warning, without prior notice, suddenly, all of sudden, surprisingly, unpredictably).
The basic formula (method, blueprint) of any plot is a good and convincing (persuasive, believable, realistic) beginning, meaningful middle part and a logical end. As the play is very short the dramatist should see that there is no confusion in the mind of the spectator regarding the happenings of the play. The incidents and events should lead logically to the middle. The middle should be gripping (fascinating, holding) and should have the turning point. The end of the play should be the result of what has happened. It should be convincing.
Eg. The plot in the play The Marriage Proposal deals with a single episode ( incident, event, affair).
(2) CONFLICT:
Conflict (disagreement, clash, different, argument, tension) is a very important element in any drama. Modern one act plays are related with ancient (very old, antique early, prehistoric) Greek dramas. The main character in the Greek dramas is called “PROTAGONIST” (the leading character, central character, the Hero). In this, the middle word is “AGON”. In Greek, this word means ‘struggle’ or ‘conflict’. In this way, the central character is one that faces conflict.
Conflict can be of two types, external and internal. External conflict means that there is a problem between two characters. Internal conflict denotes (signify, stand for, indicate, represent, symbolize) the stress (pressure, strain, anxiety, tension, trauma, hassle) and thinking that a character faces. In other words external conflict can be physical and the internal will be psychological (mental and emotional). The external conflict can be between two persons, two groups, between a person and group and vice-versa. It is easier to performed external conflict on the stage but it is quite difficult to show inner conflict on the stage. Any type of conflict gives birth to action in the play.
Eg.. in the play, The Monkey’s Paw, one can see the internal conflict. Mr. White has to wrestle( struggle, fight) with his feelings a lot before he decides to send his dead son back to his grave. However, in the play A Marriage Proposal ,the quarrel between Natalia and Lomov indicates external conflict.
(3) DIALOGUE:
It is this element that makes drama different from other form of literature. Dialogues are the heart of any play. Through dialogues only, one can learn about the characters and the plot of the play. One cannot think of any drama without dialogues. Dialogues are the life blood of any drama. Dialogues reveal (expose, tell, disclose, public) the characters of the play. With the help of dialogues only, one can make out weather the person is a hero, a villain or any other comic or serious character. Through dialogues only, the spectator (viewer, watcher, observer, witness) learns everything about the play. In one act plays, the characters are given short dialogues. They should be straightforward and simple to comprehend. The dialogues can be either in verse (poetry, rhyme) form or prose form.
In the play, Refund the dialogues of the teachers reverse their attitude towards their students and shows the condition of education in the society.
(4) DRAMATIC RHYTHM:
One act play is a form of drama so it has to be dramatic. The term dramatic rhythm suggests the change in an event that is sudden and surprising. Sometimes it is exiting. The other time it is exaggerate (overstated, larger than life) to create a powerful effect on the spectators. Whatever may be the thing, one act play has to be convincing. There has to be remarkable (notable, extraordinary, amazing, significant) change at the end. From the beginning only the seeds are sown and by the end the result is seen.
Eg..in the play, “The Monkey’s Paw” the situation is very dramatic. In the beginning, everything is well with the whites. The visit of Major Morris changes their entire (whole , complete, total) life. The decision of Mr. White to send his son bac to the grave is heart rending.
(5) CHARACTER:
Among all the aspects of a play, the most important one is the character. Without a character, no drama can be written. In the Greek dramas the word ‘character’ means “to do” or “to play.” Characters are the person with some qualities. These qualities are expressed in the dialogues they say or the action that they do. A character may remain same or u changed in his outlook and nature or may undergo( experience, suffer, go through) a radical (fundamental, essential through) change. This change can be the result of gradual development or suddenly (unexpected, swift, rapid) crisis (disaster, emergency, calamity).
Characters can be of two types. Round or flat. A flat (level, smooth, plane) character does not have many aspects to his personality. That character can be described in one line. A round character is complex by nature. It is difficult to describe him. He is capable of surprising us. Natalia and Lomov are round characters. They surprise the readers by their behaviour.
(6) ACTION :
It is known to everyone that a play has to be performed. For any performance action is needed. Moreover, there is a difference in the beginning and the end. Technically (in theory, in principle, exactly), the change is known has happening (occurrence, event , episode). And this happening is the heart of the play. The happening and the change is possible only because of the action. The action is not limited to physical movement. The action can be mental or psychological as well. There can be action in the form of change in the attitude or emotional also. The action can be in form of sudden discovery of truth also.
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CONCLUSION
In the modern age, the field of one act play is very vast(huge, gigantic, limitless, enormous, infinite, measure less, immense). It is considered as box-office poisoned but the number goes on increasing due to the increasing demand of radio and television. Most of the modern one act plays are comedies. In rare case, they reach to the height of tragedy. However, J. M. Synge’s play “Riders to the Sea” is a prime example of a modern one-act play. Moreover it has tragic note in it. Some other examples are The Price of Coal by Harold Brighouse and Hewers of Coal by Joe Corries. Many plays are written even today. Not all of them are popular.
But this shows that the boundaries of this form are expending (increasing, growing, going up, mounting, getting higher, getting bigger).
