Sunday, November 3, 2013

If all of the plots of Shakespearean tragedy follow a specific order, what is the order?

It is usually suggested that Shakespeare's plot line
follows Freytag's Pyramid structure.  This five part structure creates a visual of
rising and falling action that helps the reader see how the parts of the plot relate to
the overall intention of the play.  The first piece of the structure is the EXPOSITION. 
In the early part of the play the basic situation and premise(s) are presented, the the
initial conflicts are established, and the the major characters are introduced.  This is
usually done within what we know to be Act 1.


The next
piece of the structure is the RISING ACTION.  It is here that the plot becomes more
complicated.  There are more characters introduced, more sub-points of the conflict
arise, and the story starts to pick up the pace. The third part of the plot is the
CLIMAX of the play.  This is not necessarily the most interesting thing that happens,
but climax is better defined as "the point from which nothing can go back to the way it
was before."  In most plays, it isn't an action, but a decision made by the main
character.


In Hamlet it could be his
decision to not kill Claudius when he had a chance.  In Romeo and
Juliet
it could be Romeo's decision to avenge Mercutio's death -- an act in
direct violation the Prince's command and the new-found family relationship he has with
the Capulet family.


The fourth part of the play is the
FALLING ACTION.  This is the immediate aftermath of the decision made at the climax of
the play.  The actions of all of the characters are speeding toward the inevitable end
of the play.  The RESOLUTION is the final part of the play, and it is here that the
audience is most invested in the results of the play.  These are usually the moments of
greatest interest,all of the subplots come together, and all of the conflicts come their
conclusion.  This structure is rather predictable, and can help the reader know what to
expect at each section of the play.


It is important to note
too that while Shakespeare's plays are all divided into five acts, the acts don't always
match up perfectly with the pyramid and that Shakespeare didn't make the act divisions;
that it the work of the writers, editors, and printers of the Folios and Quartos who
were trying to print complete scripts of the plays after the writing and productions
were done by Shakespeare's acting companies.

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