Abstract

This paper, which is not confined to a single era, examines the core principles of dramatic
theory and criticism from Classical Greece to contemporary postmodern perspectives. It
identifies the enduring concepts that shape the study of drama. The paper argues that despite
historical shifts in performance, genre, and ideology, certain foundational principles have
remained central to the theorization and critique of dramatic texts and performance. Beginning
with Classical Greece, the study engages Aristotle’s Poetics as the bedrock of dramatic theory,
focusing on mimesis, plot structure, character, thought, diction, spectacle, and catharsis. It then
traces the Roman codification by Horace, which emphasizes decorum and the dual aims of
delight and instruction. Furthermore, the Renaissance and Neoclassical periods are analyzed
for their systematization of the "three unities" and their moral-didactic concerns, while modern
drama is examined through the lenses of realism, naturalism, and Brechtian epic theatre—
movements that shifted critical emphasis from the text itself to its social function and audience
alienation. Finally, the paper interrogates contemporary postmodern, postcolonial, and feminist
critical perspectives that challenge the universality of these classical principles and instead
foreground issues of power, identity, and performance. Across these historical periods, the
study identifies enduring concepts—such as representation, structure, audience effect, and the
ethical function of drama—as core to dramatic theory. The article concludes that theorizing
drama requires a dialogic engagement with these historical principles, adapted to current
critical contexts, to foster a more inclusive understanding of drama as both an art form and a
social discourse.