Theatre 220
General Guidelines for Paper
#1
All
papers must be in the current MLA style. You can find MLA stylebooks in the
library or at the bookstore. If you think you are going to be a humanities or
liberal arts major, you might want to purchase this.
This
paper is to be 3-5 complete pages. If you follow MLA style, you will know that
the format is 12 pt type, double space. Don't try to fool me, I'll catch it.
1. Begin with a general introduction. What was your opinion of the play?
2. Brief analysis
of the Plot -
the sequence of events and the connections between them (causal) that comprise
the unified dramatic action. Some plot elements to consider and identify in
your analysis specifically include inciting incident or incidents (the event or event
that "lit the fuse" before the on-stage action of the play begins); exposition (the background information
required for audience understanding of the action); foreshadowing (indications of what action may
happen, underscores what is important action to follow); protagonist's goal and the major dramatic
question (what
does the major character want, and how does that relate to the basic question
about the way in which the action will unfold?); point of attack (where the action of the play
begins, the first major complication); complications (changes in the course of action
in the play, linked to the terms reversals and obstacles); climax (usually the greatest intensity
of action; the scene in which the major dramatic question is answered and the
protagonist discovers whether or not her or his goal will be realized) resolution (the conclusion of the action,
the restoration of sense of balance).
3. How does this play fit into the history
of the time? What was happening at the time the play was written? Set in? What were the themes and how do they
fit into the time the play was written?
Was there something that happened to the playwright that might have
inspired this script?
4. End with a response: What was your
experience of reading this play script? Could you visualize it? Is it timeless
(could you produce it now?)? Why
or why not? Did it make you want to see it? act it? direct it? If so, how would
you do those things?