The Structure of DramaChapter 5

Focus Questions• What are the narrative essentials of a written

play?• What influence has Aristotle had on drama?• How does modern drama differ from traditional

drama?• What does the exposition of a play reveal?• How is a plot divided into parts?• How do playwrights create characters?• What is the theme of a play?• How do playwrights use dialogue, action, and

situation?

Introduction•A play has four narrative essentials:

exposition, plot, characters, and theme.▫The essentials are communicated through

dialogue and action•Structure: the way the playwright arranges

and presents the essentials•Plays that will survive will be those that

reveal the heights and depths of human experience and serve as an uplifting and creative force in civilization.

Tradition and Innovation – Aristotle•Aristotle (Greek philosopher, 384-322BC)

wrote Poetics stating the key elements of a successful play.▫Drama is an imitation of life▫We learn through imitation▫Learning something is the greatest pleasure in

life▫Human happiness or misery takes the form of

action▫Therefore, plot is the most important

element of a play

Aristotle’s Key elements of a Play•Spectacle (visible part)•Sound (audible part)•Diction (language)•Character (people)•Reasoning (they way speech is used to

present aspects, including emotions)•Plot (action and events)

Aristotle’s Philosophy•Action must have unity•Events must occur in logical order with a

plausible conclusion•Protagonist must be believable, “average

or better” people who experience happiness or misery resulting from reactions to situations

•Action in tragedy should purge emotions (of audience) though pity or fear (catharsis)

•Play should reveal universal truth

Evolution of Aristotle’s Ideas•Aristotle’s theories came to be considered

rules•French & neoclassicists (16th C) set up

rules requiring 3 unities: time, action, and place▫Their rules required a 24-hour period and a

single place▫The 3 unities became essentials in French

classical tragedy•Later playwrights discarded traditional

rules

Modern Changes to Structure•Many plays are two parts of several

scenes with an intermission instead of 3-Act or 5-Act structure

•Open stage is increasingly used▫Eliminates the principle of aesthetic

distance▫Removes reminder that a play is a play and

not reality

Narrative Essentials – Exposition•The literary setting exposed in

exposition:▫what kind of play is being presented▫where and when it takes place▫who the leading characters are▫what situations and conflicts take place

•Problem: exposition is necessary but information without action is uninteresting

•Effective exposition: brief and unobtrusive; gives information in a subtle way

Methods of Exposition•Time and place printed in program and

assumed at the beginning•A character states the facts, then what

follows reveals information that the audience needs in order to understand the play action

Atmosphere and Mood• Established in the exposition• Atmosphere largely created by staging and lighting

▫Added to with various tempos of speech and movement, and choice of language

• Atmosphere brings out feelings that create the mood of the play▫Mood established by characters, setting, lighting,

dialogue• Audience should be able to identify mood at the

start of the play. (Playwright’s job)• Mood is subject to change or reversal as play

progresses.

Essentials of Exposition•Preliminary Situation (Antecedent Action):

the most important part of the exposition▫Events that occur before the action of the play

begins; therefore, the basis for the play•Techniques for exposition PS:

▫Minor characters bring audience up to date▫Prologues▫Telephone conversations▫Narrators▫Ingenious scenic effects

Prologue Example – Romeo & Juliet•The expert dramatist conveys a great deal of

info very quickly. Shakespeare’s beginning of R&J show:▫Romeo’s and Juliet’s families are feuding▫Romeo thinks he’s in love with Rosaline▫Paris in interested in Juliet▫Romeo & Juliet are doomed to death▫Prince decrees death penalty for next to start

quarrel▫Romeo hears of a party at Juliet’s and decides to

go in disguise

Application Activity•Read first two scenes of any

Shakespearean play.•Identify elements that reveal:

▫Where▫When▫Why▫Who

•What methods are used to convey the information necessary for the exposition?

•Be specific

Plot•Events that take place•Problem faces protagonist•Conflict between protagonist &

antagonist•Conflicting elements give rise to suspense•Conflict is resolved in some manner•Plot unfolds in several stages

Stages in Plot StructureStage How the Plot DevelopsPreliminary Situation

Explanation of events that occurred before action of play begins.

Initial Incident First important event from which the rest of the plot develops. Makes the audience wonder what will happen next.

Rising Action All or nearly all important characters introduced; goals and obstacles facing protagonist revealed; series of situations develop from conflict.Lifts the level of interest in the audience.

Climax Turning point of action; moment of intense crisis. Determines the outcome of the conflict.

Falling Action Shorter than the rising action; incidents must be significant.

Conclusion Logical outcome of preceding action: success, failure, happiness, sorrow of characters

Plot Structure1. Preliminary Action2. Initial Incident3. Rising Action4. Climax5. Falling Action6. Conclusion

1 2

3

4

5

6

Another term for resolution is denouement – French term for “untying the knot”It addresses the untangling of complications. Aristotle explains, “By complication I mean everything from the beginning of the story up to the point where the hero suffers a change of fortune; by denouement, everything from the latter point to the end.”

Georges Polti: The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations1. Supplication2. Deliverance3. Crime pursued by vengeance4. Vengeance taken for kindred

upon kindred5. Pursuit6. Disaster7. Falling prey to cruelty or

misfortune8. Revolt9. Daring enterprise10.Abduction11.The enigma12.Obtaining13.Enmity of kinsmen14.Rivalry of kinsmen15.Murderous adultery16.Madness17.Fatal imprudence18.Involuntary crimes of love19.Slaying of unrecognized

kinsman20.Self-sacrificing for an ideal21.Self-sacrifice for kindred22.All sacrificed for passion23.Necessity of sacrificing loved

ones24.Rivalry of superior and inferior25.Adultery26.Crimes of love27.Discovery of loved one’s

dishonor28.Obstacles to love29.An enemy loved30.Ambition31.Conflict with a god32.Mistaken jealousy33.Erroneous judgment34.Remorse35.Recovery of lost one36.Loss of loved ones

Application Activities•Choose a play or a story with you are

familiar. Outline the elements of the plot, using a chart similar to one explaining plot of Romeo & Juliet.

•Test Georges Polti’s assertion that all drama is based on just 36 situations. Recall several dramatic situations from plays or films. Do they fit one (or more) of Polti’s categories?

Characters•Characters in a play should be people who can

hold the audience’s interest throughout the play.•In a well-written play, even minor characters are

interesting and unique•Some plays (esp. 20th C), have group

protagonists▫Our Town

•Must be vivid and varied in personality•Traits made evident through speech and action,

and what others say about them

Characters•Actions must suit positions in life and past

experience•Dialogue reflects:

▫Character’s time▫Social class▫Community ▫Experience

•Character actions/speech must move plot forward

•Cannot speak aimlessly like do in real life

Character Actions•Clever lines *Witty dialogue can hurt a

play if not in harmony with overall aim of the playwright*

•Soliloquies: speeches when actors talk alone▫Vital part of drama until realistic plays

became popular•Most important phase of characterization

is understanding character motivation▫Action/speech must have a reason behind it

Questions Playwrights Must Ask•What does the character want or need?•Who or what stands in the way of the

character’s needs or wants?•What conditions affect the character’s

thoughts, words, and actions?•Why does the character say or do certain

things?

Application Activity•Study a character in a play or a work of

fiction. Use the questions above to define the character’s motivation and personality. Then assume the part of that character as other members of your class ask you questions. Answer the question as you think the character would answer them.

Theme•The basic idea of the play•Dramatized through conflicts of

characters•Often left to interpretation•Do not mistake a minor truth for the main

theme•Theme is the specific idea that gives unity

and purpose to everything that happens▫Title of play▫Key Line

Theme vs. Moral•Moral is a lesson or a principle contained

within a play•Although some plays make moral

statements, many plays have no particular moral

Review• Vocabulary Terms – know definitions• Name and define the four narrative essentials of a play. • How are the essentials communicated by a playwright?• Who first expressed the principles of traditional drama?

What did he identify as key elements of a play?• How does modern drama differ from traditional drama?• What are the five major parts of plot structure that

follow the preliminary situation?• How does theme differ from moral?• Describe three methods of characterization playwrights

use.• Identify the four narrative essentials present in a movie

or a play. Discuss how the playwright presents each.• Describe how theme is conveyed in a play or a movie.