Suspense is crucial in drama primarily because it is one of the most familiar ways stories and plays can be designed to hold the audience's attention.
The Core Purpose: Engaging the Audience
A basic problem faced by any storyteller or playwright is keeping the audience engaged from beginning to end. Simply presenting events isn't always enough. This is where suspense comes in. As the reference states, suspense engages the audience's interest in finding out whether things will turn out in some particular way or that.
By creating a sense of anticipation or uncertainty about what will happen next, suspense compels the audience to pay attention. They become emotionally invested in the outcome, wondering about the fate of characters, the resolution of conflicts, or the unveiling of secrets.
How Suspense Works
Suspense operates on the principle of delaying gratification. It sets up a situation where the audience knows something significant is likely to happen, but they don't know exactly when, how, or what the result will be. This uncertainty creates tension and curiosity.
- Creating Anticipation: It hints at future events or potential dangers without revealing them fully.
- Building Tension: It maintains a state of heightened emotion as the audience waits for the inevitable or the uncertain.
- Fostering Curiosity: It makes the audience ask questions and actively seek answers as the plot unfolds.
Techniques for Building Suspense
Playwrights use various techniques to weave suspense into a drama:
- Cliffhangers: Ending a scene or act at a moment of high tension or uncertainty.
- Dramatic Irony: The audience knows more than the characters do, creating anxiety about when or if the characters will discover the truth.
- Ticking Clocks: Setting a deadline for an event to occur, increasing pressure.
- Unanswered Questions: Introducing mysteries or unresolved issues that the audience wants to see solved.
- Foreshadowing: Hinting at future events, often negative ones.
The Impact on the Audience
The presence of suspense significantly impacts the audience's experience:
| Impact Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Emotional Hook | Draws the audience deeply into the narrative and characters. |
| Increased Focus | Encourages careful observation of details and plot developments. |
| Heightened stakes | Makes the outcome of events feel more significant. |
| Satisfaction/Relief | Provides an emotional release when tension is resolved. |
By manipulating audience expectations and withholding information, drama uses suspense to create a dynamic, engaging, and memorable viewing or reading experience. It transforms passive spectators into active participants, caught up in the unfolding possibilities and potential outcomes.
