Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations, 36 Movie Plots, Nashville

The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations

as named by Georges Polti

All situations in any story or drama are supposed to fall into one of these categories. There may be more than one situation in the plot of a story if it's long enough. The list was developed to help writers, but perhaps storytellers will also find it interesting. See Polti's book of the same name for explanations, examples, and variations. Various other longer categorisations have been made of such situations, and very comprehensive, extensive lists may be found in the various Motif Indices.

1. Supplication: The dynamic elements technically necessary are: a Persecutor; a Supplicant; and a Power in authority, whose decision is doubtful.
2. Deliverance: Elements: an Unfortunate, a Threatener, a Rescuer.
3. Crime Pursued by Vengeance: Elements: an Avenger and a Criminal
4. Vengeance Taken for Kindred Upon Kindred: Elements: Avenging Kinsman; Guilty Kinsman; Remembrance of the Victim, a Relative of Both
5. Pursuit: Elements: Punishment and Fugitive
6 Disaster: Elements: a Vanquished Power; a Victorious Enemy or a Messenger
7. Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune: Elements: an Unfortunate; a Master or a Misfortune
8. Revolt: Elements: Tyrant and Conspiratorv
9. Daring Enterprise: Elements: a Bold Leader; an Object; an Adversary
10. Abduction: Elements: the Abductor; the Abducted; the Guardian
11. The Enigma: Elements: Interrogator, Seeker and Problem
12. Obtaining: Elements: a Solicitor and an Adversary Who is Refusing, or an Arbitrator and Opposing Parties
13. Enmity of Kinsmen: Elements: a Malevolent Kinsman; a Hatred or Reciprocally Hating Kinsman
14. Rivalry of Kinsmen: Elements: the Preferred Kinsman; the Rejected Kinsman; the Object
15. Murderous Adultery: Elements: Two Adulterers; a Betrayed Husband or Wife
16. Madness: Elements: Madman and Victim
17. Fatal Imprudence: Elements: The Imprudent; the Victim or the Object Lost
18. Involuntary Crimes of Love: Elements: the Lover, the Beloved; the Revealer
19. Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognised: Elements: the Slayer, the Unrecognized Victim
20. Self-Sacrifice for an Ideal: Elements: the Hero; the Ideal; the 'Creditor' or the Person or Thing Sacrificed
21. Self-Sacrifice for Kindred: Elements: the Hero; the Kinsman; the 'Creditor' or the Person or Thing Sacrificed
22. All Sacrificed for Passion: Elements: the Lover, the Object of the Fatal Passion; the Person or Thing Sacrificed
23. Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones: Elements: the Hero; the Beloved Victim; the Necessity for the Sacrifice
24. Rivalry of Superior and Inferior: Elements: the Superior Rival; the Inferior Rival; the Object
25. Adultery: Elements: a Deceived Husband or Wife; Two Adulterers
26. Crimes of Love: Elements: The Lover, the Beloved
27. Discovery of the Dishonour of a Loved One: Elements: the Discoverer; the Guilty One
28. Obstacles to Love: Elements: Two Lovers, an Obstacle
29. An Enemy Loved: Elements: The Beloved Enemy; the Lover; the Hater
30. Ambition: Elements: an Ambitious Person; a Thing Coveted; an Adversary
31. Conflict With a God: Elements: a Mortal, an Immortal
32. Mistaken Jealousy: Elements: the Jealous One; the Object of Whose Possession He is Jealous; the Supposed Accomplice; the Cause or the Author of the Mistake
33. Erroneous Judgement: Elements: The Mistaken One; the Victim of the Mistake; the Cause or Author of the Mistake; the Guilty Person
34. Remorse: Elements: the Culprit; the Victim or the Sin; the Interrogator
35. Recovery of a Lost One: The Seeker; the One Found/dd>
36. Loss of Loved Ones: A Kinsman Slain; a Kinsman Spectator; an Executioner