Chekhov, Drama

We had to read The Cherry Orchard by Chekhov for a history class of mine and I figured I would blog about it in relation to class. What I found most important in the play was the balance of the characters- clearly representing the notion of movement and countermovement. This is what makes drama drama.

Without the antagonist there is not protagonist and there is no excitement. It truly would be no different from a dance which everyone replicates. The drama then, best represents humanity in an artistic means. I argue this, for the fact that humanity involves many (often paradoxical) opposititions that make the world go round. This is exactly what drama is, and exactly what drama does. It tells the stories of people.

I would argue that drama is the most down to earth of the arts, essentially because it is a narrative of human life. Yes it can involve aspects of song and dance, but all in all it is a story. It is a canvas in which human beings are the colors. It is beautiful for what it is, and powerful as well for it is easily relatable, but it is not as abstract as say pure music.

I wonder then what silent dramas would entail. I remember the video we watched in class of the Japanese women acting out Hiroshima I believe- that was so moving! It was for more powerful and evocative than simply saying “oh it was horrible!” I don’t even know if they do silent drama, but I think it would be a very powerful art.

I think also it would promote people to be better in tune with body language, facial expressions, and tensions of the physical manner. This is an interesting idea that I at least have not seen done, although im sure it has.