Why is it that a play can tell a story with fewer words than a
novel? The answer lies in the fundamental difference between the two forms of
storytelling. While actors present and act out the events in a play, a novel
relies on narrations and descriptions to bring the story to life. This leads to
the play having a more direct appeal to our senses than a novel.
For example, the six words "Et tu Brute! Then falls Caesar" in Shakespeare's
play "Julius Caesar" describe the world of relations and emotions between Caesar
and Brutus. The same situation in a novel may require six pages or even a whole
chapter. Similarly, in "Othello," the words "I have no wife" convey the
character's mental torture without the need for description, unlike in a novel.
Plays also bring out the emotions and expressions of characters more effectively
than novels. Satires, puns, and jokes are more poignant in plays as we see the
characters in flesh and blood. Moreover, in a play, the audience is not just
told certain things but also becomes an unconscious actor, a dynamic not present
in novels.
The climax in a play is usually worked out more quickly and directly than in a
novel, where the climax and the end are often far apart. In a play, even small
things like a kerchief, a chain, or a flower can play a role and serve as
characters in their own right. The comparison and contrasts between characters
are also more effectively brought out in a play.
In conclusion, while a novel may be like an intricate canvas that only an art
critic can appreciate, a play is more relatable and can convey emotions and
characters in a more direct and efficient manner. A play is like a child's
laughter or a tear in the eye of a loved one that requires no explanation. |