104:
The suppliant appeals to the power in authority for deliverance from the persecutor. The power in authority may be a distinct person or be merely an attribute of the persecutor, e.g. a weapon suspended in their hand. The suppliant may also be two persons, the
Persecuted and the Intercessor, an
55:
This list was published in a book of the same name, which contains extended explanations and examples. The original French-language book was written in 1895. An
English translation was published in 1916 and continues to be reprinted.
357:
The solicitor is at odds with the adversary who refuses to give the solicitor an object in the possession of the adversary, or an arbitrator decides who gets the object desired by opposing parties (the solicitor and the adversary).
866:
The
Mistaken One falls victim to the Cause or the Author of the Mistake and passes judgment against the Victim of the Mistake when it should be passed against the Guilty One instead.
24:
is a descriptive list which was first proposed by
Georges Polti in 1895 to categorize every dramatic situation that might occur in a story or performance. Polti analyzed classical
28:
texts, plus classical and contemporaneous French works. He also analyzed a handful of non-French authors. In his introduction, Polti claims to be continuing the work of
1189:
42:"Gozzi maintained that there can be but thirty-six tragic situations. Schiller took great pains to find more, but he was unable to find even so many as Gozzi."
841:
The
Jealous One falls victim to the Cause or the Author of the Mistake and becomes jealous of the Object and becomes conflicted with the Supposed Accomplice.
967:
217:
The vanquished power falls from their place after being defeated by the victorious enemy or being informed of such a defeat by the messenger.
520:
The Lover and the
Beloved have unknowingly broken a taboo through their romantic relationship, and the Revealer reveals this to them.
1085:
1027:
168:
Two entities, the Guilty and the
Avenging Kinsmen, are put into conflict over wrongdoing to the Victim, who is allied to both.
889:
The
Culprit wrongs the Victim or commits the Sin, and is at odds with the Interrogator who seeks to understand the situation.
1154:
1144:
1075:
1017:
122:
The unfortunate has caused a conflict, and the threatener is to carry out justice, but the rescuer saves the unfortunate.
892:
78:. The 36 situations have been critiqued as being "concatenations of events rather than minimal or isolable motifs".
972:
48:
152:
149:
The criminal commits a crime that will not see justice, so the avenger seeks justice by punishing the criminal.
194:
326:
The interrogator poses a problem to the seeker and gives a seeker better ability to reach the seeker's goals.
86:
Each situation is stated, then followed by the necessary elements for each situation and a brief description.
289:
915:
281:
985:
952:
285:
243:
1108:
Burns, Alison; Goodrich, R. A. (2015). "Christina Stead, Georges Polti, and
Analytical Novel Writing".
1213:
796:
692:
262:
133:
1218:
581:
496:
468:
125:
71:
1054:
623:
A Lover sacrifices a Person or Thing for the Object of their
Passion, which is then lost forever.
1125:
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1081:
1060:
1023:
668:
614:
504:
414:
190:
607:
The Hero sacrifices a Person or Thing for their Kinsman, which is then taken by the Creditor.
587:
The Hero sacrifices the Person or Thing for their Ideal, which is then taken by the Creditor.
1184:
1129:
1117:
978:
747:
645:
447:
361:
220:
109:
interceding to the king on behalf of the Jews for deliverance from the king's chief advisor.
766:
The allied Lover and Hater have diametrically opposed attitudes towards the Beloved Enemy.
67:
1208:
996:
593:
566:
391:
388:
The Malevolent Kinsman and the Hated or a second Malevolent Kinsman conspire together.
25:
1202:
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1050:
310:
493:
The Imprudent, by neglect or ignorance, loses the Object Lost or wrongs the Victim.
919:
711:
626:
439:
278:
The bold leader takes the object from the adversary by overpowering the adversary.
165:
Guilty Kinsman; an Avenging Kinsman; remembrance of the Victim, a relative of both.
91:
60:
771:
659:
1121:
945:
The killing of the Kinsman Slain by the Executioner is witnessed by the Kinsman.
834:
One; an Object of whose Possession He is Jealous; a Supposed Accomplice; a Cause
642:
The Hero wrongs the Beloved Victim because of the Necessity for their Sacrifice.
940:
810:
375:
129:
59:
The list was popularized as an aid for writers, but is also used by dramatists,
29:
411:
The Object of Rivalry chooses the Preferred Kinsman over the Rejected Kinsman.
1193:
948:
785:
The Ambitious Person seeks the Thing Coveted and is opposed by the Adversary.
515:
405:
297:
98:
991:
721:
708:
A Lover and the Beloved break a taboo by initiating a romantic relationship
476:
443:
347:
240:
The unfortunate suffers from misfortune and/or at the hands of the master.
677:
665:
An Inferior Rival bests a Superior Rival and wins the Object of Rivalry.
570:
455:
431:
424:
906:
879:
872:
831:
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684:
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527:
523:
329:
212:
779:
577:
333:
171:
106:
936:
731:
The Discoverer discovers the wrongdoing committed by the Guilty One.
928:
857:
846:
820:
259:
The tyrant, a cruel power, is plotted against by the conspirator.
761:
620:
a Lover; an Object of fatal Passion; the Person/Thing sacrificed
562:
379:
803:
187:
the fugitive flees punishment for a misunderstood conflict.
1022:(First ed.). Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books.
1146:
The Classical Plot and the Invention of Western Narrative
1016:
Schmidt, Victoria Lynn (2005). "Part 3: Adding Stories".
639:
a Hero; a Beloved Victim; the Necessity for the Sacrifice
1149:. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 9.
63:
and others. Other similar lists have since been made.
690:
Two Adulterers conspire against the Deceived Spouse.
436:
Two Adulterers conspire to kill the Betrayed Spouse.
307:The abductor takes the abducted from the guardian.
101:; a power in authority, whose decision is doubtful.
32:(1720–1806), who also identified 36 situations.
497:Kris Kelvin and his wife in Solaris (1972 film)
40:
465:The Madman goes insane and wrongs the Victim.
815:The Mortal and the Immortal enter a conflict.
8:
856:a Mistaken One; a Victim of the Mistake; a
544:The Slayer kills the Unrecognized Victim.
1074:Figgis, Mike (May 2017). "Introduction".
1008:
207:a vanquished power; a victorious enemy
119:an unfortunate; a threatener; a rescuer
744:Two Lovers face an Obstacle together.
354:(an arbitrator & opposing parties)
275:a bold leader; an object; an adversary
968:Aarne–Thompson classification systems
863:Author of the Mistake; the Guilty One
304:an abductor; the abducted; a guardian
7:
350:& an adversary who is refusing)
323:a problem; an interrogator; a seeker
710:Example: Sigmund and his sister in
635:Necessity of sacrificing loved ones
627:Breaking Bad (2008 television show)
1077:The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations
1056:The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations
541:the Slayer; an Unrecognized Victim
229:Falling prey to cruelty/misfortune
21:The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations
14:
912:The Seeker finds the One Found.
760:a Lover; the Beloved Enemy; the
654:Rivalry of superior vs. inferior
530:and the messenger from Corinth.
161:Vengeance taken for kin upon kin
600:a Hero; a Kinsman; a Creditor
408:Kinsman; the Object of Rivalry
1:
778:an Ambitious Person; a Thing
385:a reciprocally-hating Kinsman
1130:10.13110/antipodes.29.2.0415
1122:10.13110/antipodes.29.2.0415
728:a Discoverer; the Guilty One
662:Rival; the Object of Rivalry
557:Self-sacrifice for an ideal
537:Slaying of kin unrecognized
430:two Adulterers; a Betrayed
404:the Preferred Kinsman; the
1235:
973:Morphology (folkloristics)
939:; a Kinsman Spectator; an
142:Crime pursued by vengeance
1143:Lowe, N. J. (June 2000).
1019:Story Structure Architect
604:a Person/Thing sacrificed
233:an unfortunate; a master
153:The Count of Monte Cristo
886:the Sin; an Interrogator
838:an Author of the Mistake
486:the Imprudent; a Victim
741:two Lovers; an Obstacle
290:Raiders of the Lost Ark
256:a tyrant; a conspirator
916:A Very Long Engagement
901:Recovery of a lost one
514:a Lover; a Beloved; a
282:Queste del Saint Graal
184:punishment; a fugitive
146:a criminal; an avenger
44:
986:The Seven Basic Plots
953:Gladiator (2000 film)
658:a Superior Rival; an
286:The Lord of the Rings
244:Job (biblical figure)
16:Book by Georges Polti
893:The Bourne Supremacy
705:a Lover; the Beloved
693:Brothers (2009 film)
263:Julius Caesar (play)
134:Superman (1941 film)
105:example of which is
1080:. Faber and Faber.
613:All sacrificed for
469:The Shining (novel)
126:Ifigenia in Tauride
72:George Pierce Baker
36:Publication history
1059:. Franklin, Ohio:
683:two Adulterers; a
462:a Madman; a Victim
76:Dramatic Technique
1061:James Knapp Reeve
737:Obstacles to love
720:Discovery of the
669:Godzilla vs. Kong
415:Wuthering Heights
271:Daring enterprise
82:The 36 situations
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1185:Internet Archive
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979:The Golden Bough
748:Romeo and Juliet
646:Binding of Isaac
448:Double Indemnity
362:Apple of Discord
221:Agamemnon (play)
97:a persecutor; a
74:, the author of
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68:Christina Stead
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782:; an Adversary
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756:An enemy loved
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734:
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729:
724:of a loved one
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701:Crimes of love
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594:Self-sacrifice
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1160:. Retrieved
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1103:
1091:. Retrieved
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1063:. p. 3.
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1033:. Retrieved
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195:The Fugitive
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92:Supplication
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61:storytellers
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19:
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1214:Narratology
941:Executioner
882:; a Victim
506:Involuntary
378:Kinsman; a
130:Deliverance
115:Deliverance
30:Carlo Gozzi
1219:1916 books
1203:Categories
1194:Wikisource
1156:0521771765
1003:References
949:Braveheart
935:a Kinsman
584:sacrificed
482:imprudence
423:Murderous
376:Malevolent
319:The enigma
124:Examples:
1190:Full text
1181:Full text
1162:April 21,
1110:Antipodes
1093:April 21,
1053:(1921) .
1035:April 21,
992:TV Tropes
947:Example:
914:Example:
891:Example:
848:Erroneous
787:Example:
746:Example:
722:dishonour
667:Example:
644:Example:
625:Example:
550:and Laius
546:Example:
522:Example:
495:Example:
467:Example:
444:Aegisthus
438:Example:
413:Example:
390:Example:
360:Example:
348:Solicitor
342:Obtaining
328:Example:
309:Example:
299:Abduction
280:Example:
261:Example:
242:Example:
219:Example:
213:messenger
189:Example:
170:Example:
151:Example:
99:suppliant
962:See also
852:judgment
826:jealousy
822:Mistaken
811:Immortal
798:Conflict
773:Ambition
685:Deceived
678:Adultery
660:Inferior
571:Creditor
516:Revealer
425:adultery
406:Rejected
332:and the
203:Disaster
880:Culprit
873:Remorse
832:Jealous
802:with a
789:Macbeth
780:Coveted
615:passion
596:for kin
548:Oedipus
528:Jocasta
524:Oedipus
457:Madness
330:Oedipus
180:Pursuit
1153:
1128:
1084:
1026:
907:Seeker
687:Spouse
578:Person
432:Spouse
334:Sphinx
252:Revolt
172:Hamlet
107:Esther
49:Goethe
1209:Drama
1126:JSTOR
937:Slain
858:Cause
762:Hater
582:Thing
567:Ideal
565:; an
478:Fatal
380:Hated
26:Greek
1164:2020
1151:ISBN
1095:2020
1082:ISBN
1037:2020
1024:ISBN
929:Loss
569:; a
563:Hero
70:and
1118:doi
804:god
346:(a
1205::
1124:.
1114:29
1112:.
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918:,
905:a
884:or
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836:or
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352:or
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235:or
211:a
209:or
193:,
132:;
128:,
1166:.
1132:.
1120::
1097:.
1039:.
580:/
47:—
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.