1432-1433 H

Drama

Dr. Abdel-Fattah Adel

King khalid University

Bisha Faculty of Science and Arts

Plot and Dramatic structure

Objectives:

Upon the completion of this section, you will be able to:

1. To define "plot" as an element of drama

2. To summarize the development of the understanding of the dramatic structure from Aristotle to modern times.

3. To recognize the parts Freytag's pyramid of the development of dramatic plot.

4. To state the main criticism to Freytag's pyramid.

5. To apply Freytag's pyramid on a story line.

Definitions:

Plot  Dramatic structure 

Plot

Plot is a literary term for the events a story comprises, particularly as they relate to one another in a pattern, a sequence, through cause and effect, or by coincidence.

It is the artistic arrangement of a sequence of events.

Dramatic structure

Dramatic structure is the structure of a dramatic work such as a play or film.

What do you think?

There is no difference between plot and dramatic structure.

•Agree •Don’t agree

What do you think? There is no difference between plot and

dramatic structure.

Plot is related to the arrangement of the events.

Dramatic structure is the overall layout of the story.

What do you think?

There can be more than one plot in a play.

•Agree •Don’t agree

What do you think? There can be more than one plot in a play.

The play may contain a main plot a several sub-plots.

Historical development of the concept

Historical development of the concept Aristotle  Horace Freytag

Aristotle

In his Poetics, Aristotle considered plot ("mythos") the most important element of drama—more important than character, for example.

Aristotle

He put forth the idea that ("A whole is what has a beginning and middle and end. 

This three-part view of a plot structure (with a beginning, middle, and end – technically, the protasis, epitasis, and catastrophe) must causally relate to one another as being either necessary, or probable.

Horace

The Roman drama critic Horace advocated a 5-act structure: ("A play should not be shorter or longer than five acts").

Freytag

Gustav Freytag (1816 –1895) was a Nineteenth Century German novelist and dramatist who saw common patterns in the plots of stories and novels and developed a diagram to analyze them. He diagrammed a story's plot using a pyramid.

Who?

-------- advocated a 5-act structure.

A. Aristotle B. HoraceC. Freytag

Who?

------ diagrammed a story's plot using a pyramid.

A. Aristotle B. HoraceC. Freytag

Who?

------ considered plot the most important element of drama —more important than character.

A. Aristotle B. HoraceC. Freytag

Freytag's Pyramid

Freytag's Pyramid

A diagram of dramatic structure that is a visual representation of the structure of a story’s events.

It shows complication and emotional tension

Freytag's Pyramid

Emotional tension rising like one side of a pyramid toward its apex, which represents the climax of action.

Once the climax is over, the descending side of the pyramid depicts the decrease in tension and complication as the drama reaches its conclusion and denouement.

Freytag's Pyramid

Freytag designed the chart for discussing tragedy, but it can be applied to many kinds of fiction.

It is also called Freytag's Triangle, Freytag's Arc.

The dramatic structure in Freytag's Pyramid

1. Exposition

2. Rising Action

3. Climax

4. Falling Action

5. Dénouement

The dramatic structure in Freytag's Pyramid

1. Exposition: setting the scene.

2. Rising Action: the story builds and gets more exciting.

3. Climax: the moment of greatest tension in a story.

4. Falling Action: events happen as a result of the climax

5. Dénouement: the ending

Which?

1. Which part of the plot sets the scene?

A. Rising Action  B. ExpositionC. Climax

Which?

1. Which part of the plot is the moment of greatest tension in a story?

A. Rising Action  B. ExpositionC. Climax

Criticism of Freytag's Pyramid

Criticism of Freytag's Pyramid Freytag's analysis was intended to apply

not to modern drama, but rather to ancient Greek and Shakespearean drama.

Criticism of in Freytag's Pyramid A specific exposition stage is criticized

by Lajos Egri in The Art of Dramatic Writing. He states, “exposition itself is part of the whole play, and not simply a fixture to be used at the beginning and then discarded.”

According to Egri, the actions of a character reveal who they are, and exposition should come about naturally. The beginning of the play should therefore begin with the initial conflict.

Criticism of in Freytag's Pyramid Contemporary dramas increasingly use the

fall to increase the relative height of the climax and dramatic impact (melodrama). The protagonist reaches up but falls and succumbs to their doubts, fears, and limitations.

Arguably, the negative climax occurs when they have an epiphany and encounter their greatest fear or lose something important. This loss gives them the courage to take on another obstacle. This confrontation becomes the classic climax.

A plot analysis of “The Wild Duck”By: Henrik Ibsen

A plot analysis of “The Wild Duck”

Exposition: the main characters are introduced (Gregers, Hialmar, Ekdal, werle), the setting is set.

A plot analysis of “The Wild Duck” Rising action: Hialmar and Gina's

confrontation of her past, the progressive revelation of Hedvig's uncertain parentage, and the arrival of Hedvig's birthday gift that ultimately precipitates this revelation in its explicit form.

A plot analysis of “The Wild Duck” Climax: The Wild Duck features two

immediately discernable climaxes: Hialmar's exit from his home and Hedvig's suicide

A plot analysis of “The Wild Duck” Falling action: the discovery and the

display of Hedvig's body as well as the final dialogue between Relling and Gregers. This dialogue leaves Gregers utterly disillusioned and precipitates his exit from the world.

A plot analysis of “The Wild Duck” Dénouement : Gregers utterly

disillusioned and his exit from this world.

Plot and Dramatic structure