Overview
This lecture introduces the essential elements of dramatic structure in playwriting, drawing from Aristotle's classical concepts and explaining their practical relevance for new playwrights.
The Six Elements of Drama
- Aristotle identified six elements every play should have: plot, character, language, melody/rhythm, spectacle, and thought/theme.
- Plot is the most important, involving a structured sequence of events with cause and effect.
- Character refers to the people on stage with whom audiences form emotional connections.
- Language involves word choice and dialogue, which express a playwright's unique style.
- Melody/Rhythm is the musical quality or pacing of language, contributing to a play’s distinct voice.
- Spectacle covers visual and sensory elements that make theatre unique and immersive.
- Thought/Theme is the underlying message or dramatic question the play explores.
Understanding Plot
- Plot is the arrangement of events to create a cause-and-effect journey, leading to a climax and resolution.
- Good plays are propelled by plot; engaging stories require that something meaningful happens.
- Outlining can help track the “because” links between events to ensure each scene advances the plot.
- If a scene or character can be removed without affecting the play, it likely isn’t necessary.
Key Structural Concepts
- Scenes should connect using “because” or “therefore,” not just “then,” ensuring cause and effect.
- Paripeteia (shift in fortune) is a major event that changes a character’s circumstances, essential for drama.
- Anagnorisis (discovery or recognition) is a shift in awareness, often through a major secret or revelation.
- The most impactful surprises or secrets should be placed at or near the climax.
Freshness and Urgency in Storytelling
- While story structures are often familiar, innovation comes from unique characters, language, and surprising developments.
- A sense of magnitude or urgency in a play’s subject matter gives it importance and resonance with the audience.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Plot — The sequence of causally linked events in a play.
- Character — Individuals inhabiting the play, with whom the audience interacts emotionally.
- Language — The playwright’s specific word choices and style in dialogue.
- Melody/Rhythm — The flow, pacing, and musicality of language in the play.
- Spectacle — Sensory and visual elements that create theatrical wonder.
- Thought/Theme — The central idea, question, or message of the play.
- Paripeteia — A dramatic shift in fortune for a character.
- Anagnorisis — A key moment of discovery or realization that shifts knowledge.
- Magnitude — The scale and urgency of the play’s subject, indicating its importance.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice outlining your play’s events, ensuring each leads to the next via “because.”
- Identify the main paripeteia and anagnorisis in your play.
- Reflect on the magnitude and urgency of the story you wish to tell.