ABSTRACT
Drama is story, but not just any kind of story. It is the story of conflict. Drama plays word games, but not just any kind of word game. It exploits the thrust and parry of dialogue to build dramatic conflict. The golden age of drama often comes after an era of warfare in which mankind displays its fiercest form of conflict in the struggle for dominance. Playwrights then create stories with verbal battles that echo the conquests and mentality of the triumphant nation. This cycle of conquest and onstage encores repeats itself in classical Greek tragedy, Elizabethan theatre and Yuan zaju opera, among others.
