This document outlines the key components used to analyze a play: 1) Exposition establishes the setting, characters, backstory and central conflict. 2) The point of attack is the turning point that heightens suspense. 3) The crisis is the climax of interest where the central conflict is answered. 4) Resolution describes the ending and aftermath that concludes the play.

1. Determining the Goals of the Play Module 5.1

2. An effective way to determine the goals of a play and the motivations for individual characters is to divide the play into the following components:

3. That portion of the play that exposes the following necessary information to the audience: 1. Exposition

4. Locales & Time (the specific place and time of each scene) Character (the names, types, and relationships of the characters) 1. Exposition

5. Antecedent events ( What important action has occurred before the opening of the curtain) Form & Type (Comedy? Drama? Tragedy? Melodrama? Romance? Epic? Mystery? Satire? Burlesque Farce? Fantasy? Absurd? Social Drama? High comedy of manners? Etc.) 1. Exposition

6. Specific incident (The earliest incident in the play that arouses strong audience interest and exposes the basic conflict) Protagonist (The person about whom the play is written) Antagonist (The person or force opposing the protagonist) 2. Point of Attack

7. The high point of suspense when a decision must be made – the turning point 3. Crisis

8. The moment of highest interest for the audience – the final answer to the basic conflict. In a one-act play the crisis and climax are often the same 4. Climax

9. Action which occurs between the climax and the final curtain. 5. Resolution or Falling Action

10. Personal reaction to the theme, mood, style, dialogue, character development, plot construction, entertainment value, and literary value. 6. Evaluation

11. The theme is generally considered to be the idea that is basic to the thought of the play – is the central idea being presented by the author. Usually the theme can be summarized in a sentence; for instance, “The theme of Agamemnon is that pride, taken to excess, leads to destruction.” Theme