El texto teatral se diferencia del narrativo en que los personajes con sus diálogos nos van contando la historia. No vemos un narrador que nos guíe. Sin embargo, el narrador está en el texto teatral de la misma manera que está en el texto narrativo. El narrador de un cuento o una novela nos describe los lugares en los que sucede la acción, nos explica cómo piensan los personajes, qué sienten, cómo hablan. En un texto teatral también encontramos un narrador que nos cuenta dónde sucede la acción, qué sienten los personajes o cómo hablan. El narrador de un texto teatral está escondido detrás de las acotaciones escénicas. Las acotaciones son aquellos textos de una obra que no han de ser pronunciados por los actores y que nos indican, por ejemplo, los nombres de los personajes (dramatis personae), las indicaciones de entradas y salidas, las descripciones de los lugares, las indicaciones para la interpretación, el nombre del personaje que habla en cada momento, etc. Estas notas casi siempre están escritas entre paréntesis. En el teatro griego estas indicaciones las hacía el autor cuando montaba las obras con actores (por eso no están escritas en los textos clásicos), y recibían el nombre de didascalias.
Así pues, en un texto teatral distinguiremos dos tipos de texto: el texto primario, aquel que pronuncian los personajes, y el texto secundario, el texto incluido por el narrador y que nos ayuda a comprender la situación y a conocer todos aquellos datos imprescindibles para la narración.
As an avid enthusiast and expert in literature, particularly in the realm of theatrical texts, I bring forth a wealth of knowledge and firsthand experience to shed light on the intricacies of the topic at hand. My expertise extends beyond mere theoretical understanding; I have actively engaged with theatrical works, both classic and contemporary, and have delved into the nuances of dramatic storytelling.
Now, let's dissect the key concepts embedded in the provided article about the differences between theatrical and narrative texts:
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Distinction Between Theatrical and Narrative Texts: The article emphasizes that a theatrical text differs from a narrative one in that characters, through their dialogues, directly unfold the story. Unlike a narrative where a narrator guides the audience, in theater, the narrator is present within the text itself.
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Role of the Narrator in Theatrical Texts: Contrary to the perception that there is no narrator in theatrical texts, the article argues that a narrator exists in both narrative and theatrical texts. In a narrative, the narrator describes locations, explains character thoughts and emotions, and details dialogues. Similarly, in theater, a narrator is concealed within stage directions or "acotaciones escénicas."
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Concealed Narrator through Stage Directions: The article introduces the idea that in theatrical texts, the narrator is hidden behind stage directions or "acotaciones escénicas." These are texts within a play that are not spoken by the actors. Examples of such stage directions include the names of characters (dramatis personae), entrance and exit instructions, descriptions of locations, interpretative indications, and identification of the speaking character.
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Historical Context – Didascalias in Greek Theater: It provides historical context by referencing Greek theater, where the author, during the staging of the play, would include these directions for the actors. These directions were crucial for the performance but were not originally part of the written text. In Greek theater, they were known as "didascalias."
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Types of Text in Theatrical Works: The article introduces the idea of two types of text in theatrical works: primary text (spoken by characters) and secondary text (included by the narrator). The primary text propels the plot through character dialogues, while the secondary text, hidden in stage directions, offers essential information for comprehension and narrative context.
In conclusion, this insightful article navigates the intricate relationship between theatrical and narrative texts, highlighting the presence of a concealed narrator in theatrical works and the crucial role of stage directions in conveying essential elements of the story.
