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English
Summary
When you read a Shakespeare play, you might notice that it is divided into different acts and scenes. In this summary, you will learn more about these acts and the structure of Shakespeare's dramas.
Aristotle was one of the first to write about drama and describe its three segments: the beginning, the middle and the end. Over time dramas evolved and a playwright called Gustav Freytag developed the five-act structure. This is used today to analyse classic Shakespearean dramas.
When reading a Shakespeare play, you may notice that most of his dramas have five acts. The number of scenes may vary, but there are always five acts. This is because the five-act structure breaks the play into sections, so it is easy for screenwriters or editors to work on. The structure is explained below.
act 1 | The Exposition | This is the beginning of the play, where the setting is established, the characters are introduced and the conflict starts to develop. |
acT 2 | The Rising Action | Here the protagonist might encounter obstacles. The rising action leads the audience to the climax. |
act 3 | The Climax | This is the turning point of the play which has the highest amount of suspense. |
act 4 | The Falling Action | This is the opposite of the rising action. Here, the story is coming to an end. Any problems or unknown certainties are wrapped up. |
act 5 | The Resolution | This is the end or the final outcome of the drama. Sometimes at the end we learn the moral of the play or the writer might reveal their opinions or thoughts through the main character. |
Introduction to Shakespeare
Context of Shakespeare's plays
Language of Shakespeare's plays
FAQs
Question: What is the format of a five-act structure?
Answer: The five-act structure is made up of the exposition, the rising action, the climax, the falling action and the resolution.
Question: Who developed the five-act structure?
Answer: A playwright called Gustav Freytag developed the five-act structure.
Question: What is the purpose of a five-act structure?
Answer: The five-act structure breaks the play into sections so it is easy for screenwriters or editors to work on.
Theory
Exercises
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