A display apparatus and display method are provided for a display panel having pixels arranged in a matrix form for displaying an image on a effective display area. Horizontal electrodes and vertical electrodes in the display panel are scanned for selectively illuminating said pixels by using a time sharing drive method in which one field period is divided into plural sub-fields weighted according to a sustaining period. As a result, an effective display area is divided into plural areas, no scanning for selecting a light emitting pixel is executed in a non-display area, and the number of sub-fields is increased in an area in which display in multiple gradations is required in a display area to obtain sufficient gradation. Instead of increasing the number of the sub-fields, the total sustaining period per one field is increased to obtain sufficient brightness. According to a feature of the invention, another area is provided in which the number of sub-fields is limited to the required minimum in which display in multiple gradations is not required. According to other feature of the invention, another area having few sub-fields is prepared instead of providing the non-display area.