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Dramatic Structure
Dramatic Structure
STRUCTURE
THE THEORY
Dramatic structure
Dramatic structure
Freytag's analysis
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of affairs will ensue, with things going from good to bad for the protagonist, often
revealing the protagonist's hidden weaknesses.
Falling actionDuring the falling action, the conflict between the protagonist
and the antagonist unravels, with the protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. The falling action may contain a moment of final suspense, in which the
final outcome of the conflict is in doubt.
Dnouement, resolution, revelation or catastropheThe dnouement (pronounced /denum/, /denumn/, or US /denum/; French:[denum])
comprises events from the end of the falling action to the actual ending scene of
the drama or narrative. Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the characters and a sense of catharsis, or release of tension and anxiety, for the reader. Etymologically, the French word dnouement is derived from the Old French word
desnouer, "to untie", from nodus, Latin for "knot." It is the unravelling or untying
of the complexities of a plot.
The comedy ends with a dnouement (a conclusion), in which the protagonist
is better off than at the story's outset. The tragedy ends with a catastrophe, in
which the protagonist is worse off than at the beginning of the narrative. Exemplary of a comic dnouement is the final scene of Shakespeares comedy As You
Like It, in which couples marry, an evildoer repents, two disguised characters are
revealed for all to see, and a ruler is restored to power. In Shakespeare's tragedies,
the dnouement is usually the death of one or more characters.
CriticismFreytag's analysis was intended to apply to ancient Greek and Shakespearean drama, not modern drama.
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 he/she is, and exposition should come about naturally within the play, beginning with the initial conflict.
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 doubts, fears, and limitations. The negative climax occurs
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when the protagonist has an epiphany and encounters the greatest fear possible or
loses something important, giving the protagonist the courage to take on another
obstacle. This confrontation becomes the classic climax.