By Genre:
* Tragedy: Explores serious and often tragic themes like death, loss, and suffering. Protagonists often face downfall and destruction. Examples: *Hamlet*, *Romeo and Juliet*, *King Lear*.
* Comedy: Aims to entertain and provoke laughter. It often deals with humorous situations, witty dialogue, and lighthearted themes. Examples: *The Importance of Being Earnest*, *Twelfth Night*, *The Importance of Being Earnest*.
* Melodrama: Characterized by heightened emotions, dramatic conflicts, and often sensationalized plotlines. Examples: *Gone with the Wind*, *Titanic*, *Dallas*.
* Farce: Focuses on absurd and improbable situations, slapstick humor, and often relies on physical comedy. Examples: *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum*, *The Importance of Being Earnest*, *The Importance of Being Earnest*.
* Satire: Uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to critique societal issues or expose hypocrisy. Examples: *Animal Farm*, *Catch-22*, *The Daily Show*.
* Romantic Comedy: Combines elements of comedy and romance, often featuring lighthearted conflicts and a happy ending. Examples: *When Harry Met Sally*, *Bridget Jones's Diary*, *Love Actually*.
* Thriller: Creates suspense, tension, and fear through plot twists, mysteries, and often violent or dangerous situations. Examples: *The Silence of the Lambs*, *Psycho*, *Rear Window*.
* Horror: Aims to scare and disturb audiences through the use of supernatural elements, violence, and psychological terror. Examples: *The Exorcist*, *The Shining*, *Halloween*.
* Science Fiction: Deals with futuristic settings, technology, and often explores philosophical themes about humanity. Examples: *Star Wars*, *Blade Runner*, *The Matrix*.
* Fantasy: Often involves magical elements, mythical creatures, and fantastical worlds. Examples: *The Lord of the Rings*, *Game of Thrones*, *Harry Potter*.
* Historical Drama: Set in the past, often exploring historical events or figures. Examples: *Braveheart*, *Gladiator*, *The Crown*.
* Crime Drama: Focuses on criminal investigations, police procedures, and often features detectives or criminals as central characters. Examples: *The Wire*, *Sherlock*, *Law & Order*.
* Medical Drama: Set in a hospital or medical environment, often dealing with ethical dilemmas and the challenges of the medical profession. Examples: *Grey's Anatomy*, *ER*, *House*.
By Style:
* Naturalistic: Aims to portray reality as accurately as possible, often featuring realistic dialogue and characters. Examples: *A Streetcar Named Desire*, *Death of a Salesman*, *The Crucible*.
* Expressionistic: Emphasizes emotions, symbolism, and often distorts reality to convey inner states or psychological states. Examples: *The Expressionist Plays*, *Waiting for Godot*, *The Crucible*.
* Absurdist: Explores the absurdity and meaninglessness of existence, often featuring illogical situations and nonsensical dialogue. Examples: *Waiting for Godot*, *Rhinoceros*, *The Bald Soprano*.
This is just a brief overview, and there are many other subgenres and variations within these categories. Drama is a diverse and ever-evolving art form, and the lines between these categories can often blur.