Table of Contents
Preface x
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction xvii
Chapter 1 Action Analysis 1
Why Action Analysis? 1
Thinking "Eventfully" 1
Summary 19
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 20
Chapter 2 Foundations of the Plot: Given Circumstances 22
Given Circumstances 22
Time 23
Place 26
Society 29
Economics 34
Politics and Law 35
Culture 36
Spirituality 37
The Special World of the Play 37
Given Circumstances in Nonrealistic Plays 39
Summary 41
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 42
Chapter 3 Foundations of the Plot: Background Story 45
What Is Background Story? 45
Method of Disclosure 47
Identification of Content 51
Background Story in Practice 54
Background Story in Nonrealistic Plays 62
Summary 64
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 65
Chapter 4 Plot: External and Internal Action in the Dialogue 66
What Is Plot? 66
Internal Action in the Dialogue 71
Plans and Commands 74
External and Internal Action in the Dialogue of Nonrealistic Plays 78
Summary 83
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 84
Chapter 5 Plot: Progressions and Structure 85
Dramatic Actions in a Particular Order 85
Structure 96
Progressions and Structure in Nonrealistic Plays 106
Structure 107
Summary 111
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 112
Chapter 6 Character 114
Objectives and Super-Objectives 115
Action 117
Adaptations-An Aside 121
Conflict 122
Willpower 124
Values 125
Personality Traits 127
Complexity 128
Relationships 129
Character in Nonrealistic Plays 130
Summary 131
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 132
Chapter 7 Idea 134
Idea 134
Summary 155
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 156
Afterword on Action Analysis 157
Chapter 8 Dialogue 158
Conversational Exchange Between Two or More Characters 158
Words 162
Sentences 164
Literariness 175
Dialogue in Nonrealistic Plays 182
Summary 184
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 186
Chapter 9 Tempo, Rhythm, and Mood 187
Tempo, Rhythm, and Mood 187
Summary 207
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 207
Chapter 10 Style 208
Style 208
Summary 221
Exercises for a Scene or Short Play 221
Chapter 11 A Case Study of Postmodern Drama: Heiner Müller's Hamletmachine 224
About Heiner Müller and Hamletmachine 226
Action Analysis of Hamletmachine 228
Formalist Analysis of Hamletmachine 241
The Postmodern Viewpoint in Hamletmachine 251
In Search of the Postmodern Viewpoint 254
Summary 260
Appendix A The Score of a Role 262
Appendix B Functional Analysis for Designers 267
Appendix C Further Questions for Script Analysis 273
Bibliography 278
Index 283
