Developing Strong Themes in Playwriting

Themes form the backbone of any good play, offering the audience a deeper understanding of the story, characters, and the world they inhabit. Whether you’re an aspiring or established playwright, developing strong themes is essential to creating a play that resonates. While dialogue, character development, and plot twists might grab initial attention, it’s the themes that linger in the minds of the audience long after the curtain falls. Let’s explore how to identify, develop, and weave themes into your playwriting process, ensuring your work makes a lasting impact.

Understanding Themes in Playwriting

Before diving into the mechanics of developing themes, it’s important to define what themes are in the context of playwriting. A theme is the central idea, message, or moral that underpins the narrative. It’s not just the storyline, but rather the “why” behind the actions of the characters and the events that unfold.

Examples of Common Themes in Plays:

• Love and Loss: Examining the complexities of relationships, heartbreak, and moving on.
• Power and Corruption: Delving into how individuals or systems misuse power.
• Identity and Self-discovery: Following characters as they explore who they truly are.
• Revenge and Redemption: Exploring motivations for revenge and paths to forgiveness.
• Freedom and Oppression: Engaging with societal or personal constraints.

In plays like Arthur Miller’s The Crucible or Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, themes are at the forefront, guiding the audience’s emotions and thoughts. These themes are so universal that they continue to speak to audiences across different times and cultures.

Identifying Your Play’s Themes

Every playwright has their own unique style and approach, but identifying your play’s themes often starts with asking yourself a few key questions:

• What central message do you want your audience to take away?
• What larger issue or concept does your story address?
• How do your characters’ actions reflect broader societal or human concerns?

Let’s say you’re writing a play about a family struggling to stay together. While the plot focuses on their day-to-day conflicts, the theme could be about the resilience of familial love or the inevitable change that time brings. Identifying the theme early can serve as a compass for the rest of your play.

Crafting Characters That Embody the Theme

Once you’ve pinpointed your theme, the next step is to create characters that embody different aspects of it. Characters in a play should serve as vehicles for exploring various sides of the theme, offering multiple perspectives. This helps add depth to the narrative, allowing the audience to see the theme from various angles.

Tips for Creating Theme-based Characters:

• Contrast is Key: If your theme revolves around power, create characters that are at both ends of the spectrum—those who have power and those who are oppressed.
• Internal and External Conflict: Your characters should struggle with the theme both within themselves and in their interactions with others. For example, in a theme of revenge, a character may grapple internally with their need for vengeance while externally battling those around them.
• Character Arcs: Show how your characters evolve as the theme impacts them. Do they become more entrenched in their beliefs, or do they grow and change?

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the theme of revenge is interwoven with almost every character’s journey. Hamlet himself is torn between action and inaction, reflecting the theme of the moral and psychological consequences of revenge.

Weaving Theme Into Dialogue and Action

It’s not enough to simply identify a theme; it needs to be evident in the dialogue and actions of your characters. Subtlety is key here—avoid being overly preachy or on the nose. Instead, allow the theme to emerge organically through what your characters say and do.

Effective Ways to Embed Themes:

• Symbolism: Use symbols that represent your theme. For instance, in a play about freedom, a caged bird might serve as a powerful visual metaphor.
• Repetition of Key Phrases: Have characters repeat certain lines or phrases that echo the theme. These should be naturally woven into the dialogue, making them impactful when repeated.
• Character Decisions: Every major decision a character makes should reflect the larger theme. If your play’s theme is about sacrifice, your characters’ choices should involve difficult decisions where something must be given up for a greater cause.

In addition, plays like Death of a Salesman use recurring symbols like seeds and gardens to express themes of failure and unrealized dreams. These symbols aren’t highlighted overtly, but as the play progresses, their significance becomes clear.

How Themes Shape Structure and Plot

The theme of your play should also guide its overall structure and pacing. For example, a play exploring the theme of time might have a non-linear narrative, jumping between past, present, and future. A play about oppression might use a cyclical structure, reflecting how history repeats itself.

Structuring for Theme:

• Non-linear Storytelling: If your theme deals with memory, regret, or the passage of time, consider structuring your plot in a way that reflects this.
• Scene Breakdowns: Each scene should advance the theme, whether through dialogue, conflict, or resolution. No scene should feel like a filler; every moment should serve to deepen the audience’s understanding of the theme.
• Pacing: Your pacing should mirror the emotional intensity of your theme. A fast-paced, chaotic plot might reflect a theme of anxiety or urgency, while a slower, methodical pace might mirror a theme of contemplation or inevitability.

Integrating Themes Across Different Genres

No matter the genre—whether you’re writing drama, comedy, or even a musical—themes remain essential. In fact, genre can often heighten the thematic impact. For instance, a comedy about love might explore the lighter, more humorous sides of relationships, while a drama might focus on the darker, more painful aspects of love.

When writing for different forms, such as animation, themes are just as important. For example, suppose you’re learning how to write a screenplay for an animation. In that case, themes should still be central to the story, helping young audiences connect with deeper messages in a way that is both entertaining and meaningful.

Conclusion

Developing strong themes is an essential part of successful playwriting. By understanding how to identify, develop, and weave themes throughout your narrative, you can create plays that leave a lasting emotional and intellectual impact on your audience. Themes offer depth, complexity, and a universal appeal that makes your story memorable and meaningful.