Types of Drama: Tragedy, Comedy, and Tragicomedy – JSS1 Literature-in-English Lesson Note (Third Term)

Drama has three main types: tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy.

• Subject: Literature in English
• Class: JSS 1
• Duration: 40 minutes
• Topic: Types of drama: tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy

Behavioural objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy.
2. State the characteristics of each type of drama.
3. Distinguish between the three types with examples.
4. Explain the purpose of each type of drama.
5. Recognise these types when reading or watching plays.

What should students already know?

Students should already know that drama is a literary genre written in dialogue to be performed.

• Basic terms: character, plot, conflict and dialogue.

What teaching aids are needed?

• Chart: the characteristics of each drama type.
• Pictures or video clips: scenes from different types of plays.
• Sample scenes: one each from a tragedy, a comedy and a tragicomedy.
• List of plays: famous examples in each category.

How can the lesson be introduced?

The teacher starts with questions and two pictures to show that plays differ in mood.

1. Ask: Have you watched a film or play that made you cry?
2. Ask: Have you watched something that made you laugh very hard?
3. Ask: Can you think of a story with both sad and funny parts?
4. Show one picture of a serious, sad scene and one of actors making funny faces.
5. Ask: What is the difference between these two performances?
6. Explain that, like films (action, comedy, horror), plays have types. Today’s types are tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy.

What is tragedy?

Tragedy is a serious type of drama in which a noble hero suffers and often dies at the end.

• Origin: the form began in ancient Greek drama.
• Audience: we watch good people face terrible problems and care about why they fall.

What are the characteristics of tragedy?

• Serious tone: the mood is heavy and the language is formal, about life, death, honour and duty.
• Noble hero: the main character is a king, prince, warrior, chief or other person of high standing.
• Tragic flaw (hamartia): one weakness in the hero leads to the downfall.
• Series of catastrophes: events grow worse until the final disaster.
• Sad ending: the hero dies or loses everything, and there is no happy resolution.
• Pity and fear: we pity the hero and fear that the same could happen to us.
• Catharsis: the emotional cleansing or relief we feel after the strong emotions of the play.
• Fate: the disaster often seems unavoidable, decided by destiny or the gods.
• Dramatic irony: the audience sees the disaster coming before the character does.
• Moral lesson: the play shows the result of pride, greed and other flaws.

Why does tragedy use noble heroes?

Noble heroes are used because the fall of an important person affects many others.

• Greater effect: the downfall is more dramatic and meaningful.
• Examples: King Oedipus, Macbeth, or a respected village chief in an African tragedy.

What are common tragic flaws?

A tragic flaw is a weakness of character, rather than wickedness, that leads the hero to terrible mistakes.

• Pride (hubris): excessive pride that makes a person think they are greater than they are.
• Ambition: a desire for power that leads to wrong actions.
• Jealousy: suspicion that destroys relationships.
• Stubbornness: refusing to change or listen to advice.
• Hot temper: anger that leads to violence.
• Greed: wanting too much.

How does a tragic plot usually develop?

1. A small problem appears.
2. The hero makes a decision based on the flaw.
3. The situation worsens.
4. More bad things happen.
5. Everything falls apart.
6. The final catastrophe comes: death or complete ruin.

What is the purpose of tragedy?

• Educational: it warns us against certain behaviour and attitudes.
• Emotional: it helps us feel and understand deep emotions.
• Moral: it teaches right and wrong through bad examples.
• Reflective: it makes us think about life, death and human nature.
• Cultural: it examines the values and beliefs of a society.

What are examples of tragedy?

• “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles: a Greek tragedy.
• “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare: a prince’s revenge ends in many deaths.
• “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare: ambition destroys a Scottish noble.
• “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare: two young lovers die.
• “Othello” by William Shakespeare: jealousy destroys a general.
• “Death and the King’s Horseman” by Wole Soyinka: a Nigerian tragedy.
• “The Gods Are Not to Blame” by Ola Rotimi: a Nigerian tragedy based on the Oedipus story.

What is a simple example of a tragedy?

1. A brave village chief is very proud of his strength.
2. Strangers arrive, and he refuses to negotiate because he thinks talking is weakness.
3. His elders and his wife warn him, but he declares war.
4. The war destroys his village and kills his family.
5. He dies in the final battle.
6. His pride (the flaw) caused his downfall and the suffering of innocent people.

Class discussion: tragedy

• Can you think of a film or story where a good person’s weakness led to their destruction?
• What was the flaw?

What is comedy?

Comedy is a type of drama that makes the audience laugh and ends happily.

• Focus: humour, misunderstandings and a joyful resolution, not suffering.
• Origin: the form began in ancient Greece.
• Spirit: comedy celebrates life, love and human silliness.

What are the characteristics of comedy?

• Light tone: problems are never life-threatening, and the mood is playful.
• Everyday language: speech is ordinary, with jokes, puns, wordplay and exaggeration.
• Ordinary characters: common people, servants, young lovers, foolish old men, busybodies and gossips.
• Mistaken identity: people are mistaken for others, disguise themselves or overhear wrong conversations.
• Exaggeration: characters and situations are made bigger and sillier than real life.
• Slapstick: falling, chasing, funny costumes and silly dances, without real harm.
• Clever tricksters: smart servants or schemers outwit foolish people with wit and plans.
• Romance: young lovers, opposing parents, rival suitors and a happy union at the end.
• Reversal of fortune: things go wrong for a while, then improve. This is the opposite of tragedy.
• Social satire: the play makes fun of foolishness, hypocrisy, corruption and human weakness.
• Happy ending: problems are solved, and the play often ends with a wedding, feast or dance.

What is an example of mistaken identity and exaggeration?

• Mistaken identity: twin brothers look alike, and one twin’s girlfriend kisses the wrong brother.
• Exaggeration: a very hungry man says he could eat a whole cow, then tries to eat everything at once.
• Satire: a greedy businessman pretends to be generous but cheats everyone, so the play ridicules greed.

What is the purpose of comedy?

• Entertainment: to make people laugh and enjoy themselves.
• Social commentary: to criticise society’s problems through humour.
• Relief: to help people forget their worries.
• Education: to teach lessons in a gentle, funny way.
• Celebration: to celebrate life, love and happy endings.
• Unity: to bring people together through shared laughter.

What are examples of comedy?

• “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare: lovers are confused by magic.
• “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde: a comedy of false identities.
• “Tartuffe” by Molière: a comedy about a religious hypocrite.
• “The Lion and the Jewel” by Wole Soyinka: a Nigerian comedy.
• “The Trials of Brother Jero” by Wole Soyinka: a Nigerian comedy about a trickster prophet.
• “The Marriage of Anansewa” by Efua Sutherland: a Ghanaian play with humour and a happy ending.
• Modern examples: television sitcoms and romantic comedy films.

What is a simple example of a comedy?

1. A young man loves a girl, but her father wants her to marry a rich old man.
2. The young man disguises himself as a wealthy prince, and the father agrees to the marriage.
3. Just before the wedding, the disguise is discovered, and everyone is angry.
4. The girl’s mother reveals that the rich old man is a fraud already married to three women.
5. The father decides that honesty is better than false wealth.
6. The lovers marry, and the play ends with a big celebration.

Class activity: acting a comic scene

1. One student plays a very hungry person who exaggerates his request for food.
2. Other students keep misunderstanding and bring the wrong things.
3. The class names the comic devices used: misunderstanding and exaggeration.

What is tragicomedy?

Tragicomedy is a type of drama that mixes tragic and comic elements, with an ending that is neither fully happy nor fully sad.

• Name: the word joins “tragedy” and “comedy”.
• Idea: life is not purely sad or purely happy, and tragicomedy reflects this.

What are the characteristics of tragicomedy?

• Mixed tone: the play moves between serious and funny scenes, tension and relief, tears and laughter.
• Serious theme, comic treatment: death, poverty, war or injustice appear alongside humour.
• Complex characters: they are neither wholly good nor wholly bad, and have strengths and weaknesses.
• Mixed ending: it is bittersweet or ambiguous, with good and bad together.
• Comic relief: funny characters and dialogue break the tension of serious scenes.
• Moral ambiguity: there is often no clear right or wrong.
• Multiple plots: a serious main plot runs with a comic subplot, and the two influence each other.
• Disaster avoided: a tragic ending is expected, but the hero survives or the problem is solved at the last minute.
• Gentle satire: it criticises society, but with sympathy.
• Close to real life: real life mixes joy and sorrow, and the play shows this.

What are examples from the characteristics?

• Mixed tone: a family mourns a death, then children play innocently in the next scene.
• Complex character: a brave, honourable man has a silly fear of chickens.
• Mixed ending: the hero survives and marries his love, but his best friend dies.
• Comic relief: before a battle, a soldier searches for his sword and finds he is sitting on it.
• Moral ambiguity: a poor man steals food to feed his starving family. Is he right or wrong?
• Two plots: a king debates going to war, while court jesters compete for his favour.

Why is comic relief used?

• Break: it gives the audience a rest from intense scenes.
• Balance: it makes the play more balanced.
• Realism: it reflects how real life mixes joy and sorrow.
• Preparation: it prepares the audience for the next serious part.

What is the purpose of tragicomedy?

• Realistic reflection: it shows life as mixed and complicated.
• Emotional balance: it gives both laughter and tears.
• Thought: it makes us think about complex issues.
• Broad appeal: it attracts audiences who like both comedy and serious drama.
• Social commentary: it criticises society while entertaining.

What are examples of tragicomedy?

• “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett: described by its author as a tragicomedy.
• “The Winter’s Tale” by William Shakespeare: serious loss followed by a hopeful ending.
• Modern examples: many contemporary plays and films that mix drama and comedy, and “dramedy” television shows.
• African plays: many modern African plays blend serious post-colonial themes with humour.

What is a simple example of a tragicomedy?

1. A village faces drought and famine (serious).
2. The village head keeps making funny mistakes, such as sending messengers to the wrong places (comic).
3. People suffer, and some die (tragic).
4. Rain finally comes, but only after great loss.
5. A young couple who fell in love during the crisis marry (happy), but the bride’s father died in the famine (sad).
6. The ending shows both celebration and mourning.

Class discussion: tragicomedy

• Can you think of a film or story that made you both laugh and cry?
• What made it carry both feelings?

How do tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy compare?

Each type is first defined in one line, then compared in the table below.

• Tragedy: a serious play in which a noble hero falls and the ending is sad.
• Comedy: a light play that makes the audience laugh and ends happily.
• Tragicomedy: a play that mixes serious and funny moments and has a mixed ending.

Evaluation

1. What is tragedy? Give two characteristics.
2. State two differences between tragedy and comedy.
3. What is a tragic flaw? Give two examples.
4. How does a comedy usually end?
5. Define tragicomedy and state the purpose of comic relief in it.

Assignment

1. Choose a film, television show or story you know. State whether it is a tragedy, comedy or tragicomedy. Give three characteristics from this note to support your answer.