Sunday, December 15, 2019

Othello: Day 3; Polti's 36 Dramatic Situations

Polti's 36 Dramatic Situations (15 min.)

"Drama requires characters who want things they don't have yet, who need things they don't recognize yet, who are in conflict with people and forces arrayed against them."

Please read the handout on plots by Georges Polti (or Johann Goethe or Carlo Gozzi):
  • What is at the core of a good dramatic idea?
The article makes a point about the 36 dramatic situations by Georges Polti. Please link to this page on our link page to your right. Read a few of the 36 dramatic situations. Which ones interest you? Which ones can you relate to? Which ones have you seen in literature or film? Discuss these 36 dramatic situations with a neighbor today.
  • Which one would you create a one-act play around?
  • Choose 1 or 2 of the dramatic situations and begin outlining a one-act play based on the idea.
We will continue to read Othello today.

The structure of a Shakespearean play (most 5 act plays) is:

ACT ONE: Exposition, Inciting incident, Major Dramatic Question is introduced, sometimes the protagonist has made a Major Decision. Often a complication occurs to disrupt the status quo
ACT TWO: Rising Action, Complication(s), Establishment/development of the Major Conflict, sometimes the protagonist has made a Major Decision. Introduction to subplot (minor plot).
ACT THREE: Crisis or Turning Point, Dark Moment, Major Decision.
ACT FOUR: Enlightenment, development or Resolution of minor plots.
ACT FIVE: Final climax, Resolution of minor and major plots, falling action. Major Dramatic Question is answered.

Confused? Asleep? Absent? Daydreaming? Curious? take a look at the links below to help you understand this play and see what it looks like when performed.

Act 1 (Othello):
Scene 1 summary; & Scene 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Scene 2 summary; & Scene 2 (Othello Notes: analysis of scene 2) (9 min.)
Scene 3 summary; & Scene 3 (Iago's monologue, Kenneth Branaugh) & Orson Welles as Othello, monologue scene 3.

Act 2 (Othello)
Scene 1 summary

HOMEWORK: None. Please bring your Othello book back with you next class. You may wish to revise your play scripts for your portfolio (due at the end of marking period) or start planning a new play idea based on one (or more) of Polti's 36 Dramatic Situations.

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