سی و شش وضعیت نمایشی

by Georges Polti, جمال آل احمد

1921. "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" (Goethe). Polti defines these 36 situations, including supplication, crime pursued by vengeance, revolt, the enigma, rivalry of kinsmen, etc.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Theatre, Film, Theory, Art

197 pages

First published January 1, 1921

Reviews

[Fateme Beygi · Rating 4 out of 5]

این کتاب به فارسی «سی‌وشش وضعیت نمایشی» توسط سید جمال‌ آل احمد و عباس بیاتی ترجمه شده و ناشرش سروشه.

به‌شدت شیفته‌ی چنین کتابایی ام که الگو و ساختارای نوشتن رو ارائه می‌کنن. کتاب انقدر کارایی داره که با خوندن هر موقعیت کلی ایده توی ذهنتون شکل می‌گیره و همون لحظه می‌تونین خوندن رو رها کنین و بشینین به نوشتن ایده یا ساختن طرح.
نویسنده خیلی مختصر و مفید مثل پراپ توی کتاب ریخت‌شناسی قصه‌های پریان الگوهای تکرارشونده‌ی نمایشی رو دسته‌بندی کرده و برای هر کدوم کلی مثال آورده. این‌جا نویسنده فقط و فقط به الگوی اصلی، زیرمجموعه‌هاش و حالتاش و آوردن نمونه‌ها پرداخته. بنابراین هر بخش معمولا بین دو تا پنج صفحه‌ست و چیز اضافه‌ای در کار نیست. این که نمونه‌ها رو خونده باشین توی درک روند موقعیت نام‌برده شده کمکتون می‌کنه اما اگه مثل من تعداد کمی هم ازشون خونده باشین بازم مشکلی نیست چون این راهنما داره بهتون می‌گه که برای کدوم الگو سراغ کدوم نمایش‌نامه یا گاهی متون داستانی برین.
جالبی‌ش این بود که بیش از نمایش‌نامه‌ها من این موقعیت‌ها رو توی سینما پیدا می‌کردم یعنی ذهنم بلافاصله می‌گشت یه فیلم با فلان موقعیت ارائه می‌داد. سینمای غالب یا تجاری به‌وفور از این موقعیت‌ها استفاده کرده- سینمای هنری هم ازشون با روش خودش بهره برده- و شما می‌تونین با استفاده از اون فیلما روند پیش‌روی و ساختار کلی طرح هر کدوم از این موقعیت‌ها رو براساس سلیقه‌ و انتخاب اون فیلم‌نامه‌نویس دنبال کنین تا بیشتر و بیشتر به درک موقعیت‌های این کتاب نزدیک شین و بدونین کارایی‌شون به چه نحوه.

[Gail Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note that this book lists dramatic situations, not plots. How the characters respond to the situation creates the plot, so multiple plots can come from one situation. Also, each of the 36 situations has several sub-listings as well, creating hundreds of story ideas. True, all the examples are from classical literature, some rather obscure, but at least they're all public domain...
I use this in combination with Ronald Tobias' Twenty Master Plots. Together, they can help a writer brainstorm a basic What-If idea into a full-length storyline.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dag, I only knew about two or three of the thousands of plays and novels Polti uses as examples, his being mostly learned, classic, and way heavy on the French. (I'm just sayin.) Actually I am looking at a 1940 edition that does include Orson Wells' War of the Worlds (classed as the "Sixth Situation: Disaster," nach, subclass "A Fatherland Destroyed"). I'd love to see somebody show which situations seem to be popular when -- the distribution of situations over time and cultures. And is there one of the situations that hardly anyone has made work? One that elicits more than its share of drivel? Have we not a 37th? Did Polti cover all this in the Introduction and Conclusion and I just missed it because I didn't have the patience to wade through his prose?

[Julia Kulgavchuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't expect the text to be largely comprised of lists of literary works that use the 36 situations. I thought there'd be more about those situations. Still, brief is good. I like brief. So I mostly skipped those lists.

The 36 situations and their sub-divisions (variations) are applicable to... everything. Say, 30: Ambition. C (1) -- Ambition and Covetousness Heaping Crime Upon Crime. Sounds like the case of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Stories like this call for the dramatic optics like Polti's.

Can't but appreciate the beautiful language: "To infinite sorrow there is no limit. Beneath that which seems the final depth of misfortune, there may open another yet more frightful. A ferocious and deliberate dissection of the heart it seems, this Seventh Situation, -- that of pessimism par excellence."

[Ramy · Rating 3 out of 5]

كتاب ظريف ضعته ف ال want to read
من فترة
و مؤخرا عثرت عليه pdf

ترجمه عن الفرنسية الاستاذ مصطفى محرم السيناريست الشهير
والذى اتضح انه ليس مجرد مؤلف (او كاتب سيناريو مسلسلات) شهيرة و انما هو مترجم مثقف

قرأت مرة فى كتاب
اللغز وراء السطور: أحاديث من مطبخ الكتابة
ل عراّبنا الجليل رحمة الله عليه د أحمد خالد توفيق
ان الحبكات الادبية ال plot...العقدة الروائية ..السينمائية ...سمّها ما شئت
هم 33-36 و ان كل الاعمال الادبية عبر الازمان لابد بصورة او باخري ان تكون ضمن احد تلك الحبكات
...و اخيرا ها هو هذا الكتاب ...يشرح تلك الحبكات و تشريحها و تنويعاتها ...

تذكرت مقولة ل إمبرتو ايكو ..عن ان كل اسطورة تكتب مرارا و تكرارا بنسخة مناسبة لعصرها ...نسخ فوق بعضها اقدمها يبهت
و احدثها يكون مبهر ....
ف ايام الاغريق مثلا هو هركليز و فى عصرنا الحالى هو سوبر مان او بات مان ..هى نفس الاسطورة للرجل الخارق البطل

هناك مثلا
موقف التوسل بطلة رقيقة تتوسل لوغد يمسك عليها احد ذلاتها مثلا ..او بطل يمسك عليه شخص ما مستندات تدينه ...الخ (اغلب افلام فاتن حمامة و شدية ف بدايتهم )
موقف الخلاص..هو عكس حال الموقف الاول حينما تصبح تلك المستندات بدون ذات فائدة ..او يتخلص البطل من الشرير الذى يهدده .. (اتذكر فيلم بطولة فاتن حمامة و احمد مظهر و اخوها فى الفيلم احمد رمزي هو من يخلصها ممن يهددها)
موقف الانتقام ..هو احد اشهر و اهم الحبكات الادبية ...و كما قال د احمد خالد توفيق كان هو الموقف الدرامي ...اللى بياكل مع الجمهور ....
انظر كم مرة تم انتاج و اعادة انتاج و تمصير لرائعة الكسندر دوماس ....كونت دي مونت كريستو ..امير الدهاء ...امير الانتقام ...دائرة الانتقام ...لهيب الانتقام
موقف انتقام من احد افراد الاسرة .... مسلسل البرنس مثلا محمد رمضان ...
....الخ

ما يعيب الكتاب ...هو استناد المؤلف ل أمثلة من المسرحيات الاغريقية او مسرحيات فرنسية او انجليزية "قديمة" امثلة لن يتعرف عليها كل من يقرؤ الكتاب
لم يحاول المترجم و هو السيناريست المخضرم ...محاولة اضافة حواشي مثلا ب امثلة من اعمال درامية (افلام او مسلسلات) عربية او اجنبية
لتقريب الصورة اكثر لذهن القارىء ....

الكتاب القادم : وردية الليل - مجموعة قصصية ستيفن كينج

[Esteban · Rating 2 out of 5]

The thirty-six dramatic situations es una extensa nota al pie a una arriesgada enumeración hecha por el dramaturgo Carlo Gozzi. Su autor se ampara en una cita de Goethe (quien afirmaba que Schiller no pudo aumentar su número) para mantener intactos esos límites y convertirlos en la premisa de un libro. La base documental es bastante amplia, pero al organizarla Polti multiplica las redundancias y las arbitrariedades que separan a la enumeración original de una tipología propiamente dicha. En ese sentido, es útil contrastar esta clase de libros – hay bastantes ejemplos contemporáneos, casi siempre vinculados al cine y mucho más limitados bibliográficamente – con la Morfología del cuento. Mientras la obra de Propp se lee como la especificación de un programa o la descripción verbal de un algoritmo, la lista de Gozzi-Polti se parece más a un código penal escrito apresuradamente. Incluso así, alguien interesado en automatizar la infraestructura de la narración puede encontrar acá una interesante base de datos.

[Rober Rodríguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

This essay is as concise and precise as vague.

All thirty-six situations are exposed clearly and exemplified; but all of those examples are not developed, which is logical because of the length of the text.

The main problem in not explaining those examples is that they end up being vague unless the reader is an expert in universal literature. And maybe this is the target public for this text; defnitelly, not my case. So it is quite hard to squeeze this text and get all the juice of knowledge that it can get to offer. Unfortunatelly.

What is worse: some errors in transcription or OCRing the text make it a little unconfortable to follow in some points.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skimmed, but then I was introduced to the book by the cheatsheet.pdf @ nowhitespace.org/writing
I was mostly looking to get some expansion to the 36 Dramatic Situations presented in Polti's work.

The language is academic and unnecessarily florid, but the research is sound for the date published (1917, 1921)

When producing dramatic work, it is important to understand the wealth of dramatic situations and their variations in order to produce the best work possible.

[sohrab mohajer · Rating 4 out of 5]

فراتر از یک کتاب نمایشی

[Santiago R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un estudio del medio dramático que, como categorización, es correcto. Sin embargo, como estudio filosófico de la dramaturgia como medio, queda a deber.

La intención de Polti queda explícitamente enunciada en la presentación de su libro: no solo se trata de hacer una taxonomía de las situaciones, sino de defender que en esas 36 configuraciones se puede limitar toda la metafísica emocional humana.
El libro cumple con ilustrar las características de diferentes escenarios temáticos para la representación dramática. Más aún, presenta argumentos sólidos sobre por qué se separan unas situaciones de otras, en lugar de estudiarlas en conjunto. Sin embargo, presenta argumentos dispersos sobre por qué estas36 situaciones deberían ser suficientes para contener toda experiencia emocional humana.

Lo anterior no deja de hacerla una lectura disfrutable. Se usa el móvil del estudio del teatro para incluir consideraciones sobre el rol político del arte, la concepción social que se tiene de cómo se experimentan las pasiones, y la relativización a la que el drama, como escenario de prueba y error, contribuye en el ámbito moral. No obstante, la falta de articulación entre estas ideas dispersas hacen que se pierda la fuerza del debate.

Polti cumple con entregar una base de datos juiciosa y una taxonomía apropiada para las principales obras de la historia de la dramaturgia, pero se queda corto en contribuir al debate de su ontología.

[Alina Voinea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucrarea este, desigur, perimată, având în vedere când a fost publicată (1895). Pe lângă lipsurile inerente, fiind eu cititoare în acest timp și nu în acela, am găsit limbajul greoi și obositor (deși am citit o traducere în engleză și nu originalul în franceză, dar tind să cred că engleza a ajutat, dat fiind stilul specific lucrărilor de specialitate în limba franceză și, mai ales, celor de acum o sută și mai bine de ani), dar m-a fascinat felul în care autorul a făcut efortul de categorisire și cât de îngrijit a colectat și enumerat exemplele, precum și modul interactiv (dacă pot să zic așa) în care a făcut trimiteri interne pe parcurs. Am citit cu notițe la îndemână și am rămas cu câteva idei utile.

[Bob May · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book in hopes it would spark some ideas for stories or articles I could write. (It was also mentioned by Howard Suber in his book, THE POWER OF FILM, albeit derisively. I should've paid closer attention.) Man, was I disappointed. It turns out to be an un-useful curiosity: a poorly copied reproduction of a 1916 antique, ultimately vain, attempt to comprehensively codify every possible dramatic situation. It falls woefully short. Most of the situations repeatedly relate to murder or its contemplation. All of the citations are to ancient and unfamiliar examples. Profoundly unhelpful and a waster of time. Oh well.

[Нарцисс · Rating 4 out of 5]

Тут список драматических ситуаций.
Заполнить их довольно сложно, правда.

В общемэ то одна из основных книг сюжетостроения.
Если захочу чего то подобного - нужно так и загуглить "сюжетостроение".
Оригинал книги не нашел, пришлось читать просто выжимки с перечнем этих самых 36 драмматических ситуаций.

[Mephistopheles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was incredibly useful, though I wish he had elaborated. Polti seemed entirely too pleased with himself at times. But this is an exhaustive, useful study, and it introduces hundreds of plays, best of all. Some won’t like it because it’s not modern, but I, for one, was relieved about that. I’m tired of storytelling books focusing on movies. I’d rather they focus on plays and novels.

[prplltrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 100th Anniversary edition was a solid read. Had lots of good information about writing and I was able to gather lots of pertinent tips for writing.

[محمد علم · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing and so useful , try to read it fast , skimming , and read more about greeks drama before you start reading , I mean "a lot" !

[Amanda Barbato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every fiction writer needs to read this.

[Covadonga González-Pola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy útil, quizá algunas situaciones han quedado algo desactualizadas a día de hoy. Lo usaré en mis clases.

[V.H. Mizzell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This information should be used as inspiration and explanation, not as an outline.

[Jessica Gonzatto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Generic and pretty specific at the same time... not sure this is useful, honestly.

[Negar Safari · Rating 1 out of 5]

صرفا دسته بندی کردن و فهرست کردن تمام موقعیت های دراماتیک، چندان کمکی برای امر خلاقه نوشتن نمی‌کنه.
ولی برای کار پژوهشی می‌تونه کمک کننده باشه.

[Sarabazehkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

برای چیدمان ذهن عالیه...

[Kip Williams]

I started this book because I know how to write, but not how to tell a story. I was
ready to disapprove of the topic on general principle; the old "nobody is going to curb
my creativity with a bunch of stupid rules!" Which might be a compelling argument
except for the fact I'm a little short on any to curb, right now. What I've got is a
handful of characters wandering around a setting, waiting for a story to occur.

Help.

And the first thing Polti tells me about the rules of dramatic situations is, "There
is, I hasten to say, nothing mystic or cabalistic about this particular number, it
might perhaps be possible to choose one a trifle higher or lower, but this one I
consider the most accurate."

So, a book first translated into English in 1921 by an author admitting the title
could be right or wrong but it works for him? I'm already sold. Then, he goes on to
present a study of dramatic situations relying on the works of writers like Euripides
and Goethe. Is he accurate? Hell! I don't know. I've never read either of them, though
I know a title or two. (Trojan Women, Medea, Faust)

The point is, he jump starts my imagination. The characters who were wandering
around aimlessly are starting to gather around a mall map, orienting themselves with the "You Are Here -- X" tag. Now they want to go somewhere as a group. What more could I ask of them or of a book?

If you're not sure Polti can help, let me polish the final bit of brass by pointing
out the book is beyond copyright and can be freely downloaded at Archive.org or read
online at Google books.

Give it a try.

[Bill Cokas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not saying there aren't good observations in here, and that it wouldn't be a good resource to turn to when beginning to outline or plot a work of fiction. However, it is a bit dated (some of the situations include "punishment for contempt of a god" and "duty of sacrificing a son-in-law for the public good"), and if you aren't a college English professor or EXTREMELY knowledgable of classical literature and drama (I'm talking ancient Greek plays and 19th century French novels), then his examples will completely blow by you. I don't think I caught even 10% of them, and I consider myself fairly well-read. Lastly, the Forgotten Books paperback edition isn't truly typeset--the entire book was scanned or photocopied and then reprinted, so it's a little distracting.

[Hannibal · Rating 4 out of 5]

دائره المعارفی موجز و کلیدی برای ادبیات نمایشی. نویسنده بر آن است که کل وضعیت ها و حالات نمایشی و دراماتیک را می توان در 36 وضعیت اساسی خلاصه کرد، از جمله : خیانت، زنای مرگبار، انتقام، و ... و برای هر وضعیت مثال هایی ار داستان ها و کارهای صورت گرفته می آورد.
تنها ایراد این کتاب آن است که قدیمی بوده (مربوط به ابتدای قرن بیستم) و لذا تنها به نمایش نامه ها و رمانها به عنوان شاهد ارجاع می دهد و فاقد مثال های سینمایی است.

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One man's life work which breaks down the entirety of human condition, emotion, and existence as per the written word. 'Par excellence', and in my opinion, an invaluable tool to anyone who wants to understand life, write about it, or become so well versed in classical literature that their head will explode.

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Jinny Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every writer should read this. Fiction or non.

[Caroline Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I ever get around to writing a book, I'll use this reference to help me navigate the structures of plot.

[Ritu Lalit · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful reference book to have