DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF DRAMATIC
ACTION
THEA291 Dr. Larsen
Dramatic
action: the
energy contained in a line of dialog and manifested as a desire.
Dramatic activity: the illustration of the action; the
business performed by the actor making the action known and physical.
Plot: The arrangement of the units of
dramatic action
Unit: A segment of the plot. A unit is a
structure consisting of:
A. a precipitating context. Like the play as
a whole, which grows out of a set of given circumstances, each unit has a
particular context which colors the action of that unit. You can look at a unit
as: act, scene, or French scene. The smaller the unit, the better.
We will use a French scene; divide when:
1. a character enters or exits
2. there is a shift in the action in the play
B. characters in pursuit of an objective.
1. Each line of dialog is the container of an energy
released as a strategy.
a. a character's objective may be perceived
as a coherent series of strategies.
b.
a strategy is best expressed as an active verb.
2. A
character's objective is the temporary focal point of all his or her energy.
3. A character's objective should be expressed as an active
verb.
Example: "I, Oedipus, want to undermine Creon's
testimony."
4. A
character's objective will vary according to:
a. the character's consciousness of his
wants. Hamlet's energy may be focused on a definite objective of which he is
fully conscious, or his energy may be focused on a vague goal of which he is
not fully conscious.
b. the strength of the character's
motivation. Some objectives are more vigorously pursued than others, because
some objectives are more vital to the interests of the character.
c. the source of the character's
desires. An objective may be an expression of an instinct, a rational decision,
a wilful choice, or an impulse.
C. One character in the unit will be the impelling
agent (protagonist) because his determination propels the action.
Other characters in the unit will be the blocking agents (antagonist)
and his or her subordinates, and the subordinates of the impelling
agent.
D. Each unit contains the spectacle of reciprocal
forcing, as the impelling agent and his subordinates clash with the
blocking agent and his subordinates.
E. Each unit progresses through a period of intensification,
which reaches its peak in the moment of crisis. The crisis precipitates
a release of tension.
F. A unit shows one of two tendencies in its
development: it inclines toward being either active or reactive:
1. An active unit contains an active conflict
between the impelling agent and the blocking agent.
2. A reactive unit contains some sort of sustained emotional
release.
THUS, a unit ends when:
1. A
new character enters and alters the context.
2. The
impelling agent achieves or abandons his objective.
3. The
rhythm of intensification, crisis, and release is complete. (2-3 shift the
action).
The DRAMATIC ACTION of a play may be
summarized in terms of :
1. The super-objective of each of the principle
characters. The super-objective is.a statistical summary, or an abstraction
from the several objectives of the character.
a. A super-objective is
best expressed as an active verb or verb phrase.
b.A super-objective may be
explained (but not explained away) in terms of the character's degree of
consciousness, his strength, and the sources of his motivation.
2. The root conflict between the hero
and the blocking agent. The root conflict is an abstraction summarized
from the conflicts in the several units of the play.
3. The dynamic structure of the play, consists of
(1) given circumstances
(2) rising action or intensification of the plot
of the play
(3) the climax or the major crisis of the play,
and the
(4) denoument. or the release following the
play's climax.
Dynamic Analysis Assignment
1. For the assigned play, you will
analyze assigned units (French scenes, scenes in the act [if there are any], the
act) in Act IV in terms of dynamic analysis (nos. 1-6 below). Additionally,
you will complete nos. 3 and 7 for the entire play. You may structure this
paper in any way that you think is most clear.
Analyze in terms of: