Drama

Dramatic Purposes of a Scene

Understanding and explaining the significance of a passage or scene in a work of literature is a very important skill. The point to remember is that no passage in a work is without significance. When you are asked to comment on the significance, you are being asked why the passage is important to the literary work.

A passage in a literary work (such as a novel, play or short story) may be considered significant if it fulfills one or more of the following functions:

In a drama, a scene may have a number of dramatic purposes:

← to reveal or develop a new aspect of a character, to establish relationships between characters or to show changes in relationships

← to provide background information about earlier or offstage events

← to present a dramatic contrast in mood to a preceding scene and/or provide relief of tension through comic relief or change of pace

← to develop pathos for the undeserved suffering of a character or characters

← to foreshadow future events

← to advance the plot by adding complications which may lead to a crisis or resolve the problems created in the play to that point

← to create suspense by withholding information, or delaying a crisis

← to direct or withdraw audience sympathies towards or away from a specific character

NOTE: When you are required to state the significance of a passage do not attempt to simply paraphrase or explain the quotation. You must choose one or more of the above possibilities and fully explain your choice with reference to the quotation and its context.