THTR 200 Study Guide - Final Guide: Galvanization, Purgatory, Nuclear Weapon
Document Summary
Although we make think of plot as synonymous with story, the meaning of the two words are quite different. The story is simply the narrative of what happens in the play, as might be described by somebody who has seen it. Hamlet is the story of a young prince of denmark who seeks revenge for the murder of his father the king. Plot refers to the mechanics of story telling: the sequencing of the character"s coming and goings, the timetable of the play"s events, and the specific ordering of the revelations, reversals, quarrels, discoveries and actions that take place on stage. Action is the soul, or life force of drama. Plot is therefore, the structure of actions: both outer actions like hamlet killing polonius, and inner actions like hamlet"s rejection of ophelia. The essential ingredients for a plot are logic and suspense. Offering another nuanced definition, plot can also be based on story.
