Whether you follow the dramatic theory or any other kind of literary theory, whether you are a novelist or a screenplay writer, the narrative structure and plot development remain the same in the case of a five-act structure.
Today we are going to talk about an older style of act structure that was primarily used in classical comedies and tragedies but this style of dramatic structure.
This style of character growth is so popular that it is even seen in Shakespeare’s plays where we see 5 act structure Shakespeare’s plays being one of the most popular manifestations of this dramatic structure.
So let us find out what is five act structure and how to write five act structures and we will also find out how to create a powerful story using the five act structure.
IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE 5 ACT STRUCTURE
• ACT 1
When we talk about how to write your story with a five act structure, we are going to start with the first act which is simply the introduction.
This act consists of the backstory and helps the audience understand everything about the play and also everything about the characters and also how all the characters are related to one another and this is one of the most important acts.
The first act also contains the important events that move the story ahead so that the audience can hold on to their seats and get excited over what is going to happen next.
The better writer you are the better you are going to create this scenario.
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• ACT 2
While the first act simply created the exciting moment or what is also called the complication, the second act tries to indulge the audience more in what is happening and also builds upon the first act.
There are a few important things that you must keep in mind and one of them is that you must completely introduce all the characters by the second act. You can choose not to but it is the norm.
You must also keep in mind not to put the climax in the second act because it is too early in the play and the story is just getting spicy.
• ACT 3
This is one of the most important acts and this is also one of the acts where you should focus and this is probably the act which requires the most careful planning and attention.
The reason behind this is that this is the act that should contain the climax of the play. This act is strategically placed in the middle point of the entire play so this is where everything about every character culminates into the climax.
This is going to be the point where the story culminates into an impossibility where we can find rivalry and other problems.
You can also include a lot of action in this act and this is also expected because the play is going on for some time and if you were to insert little action then that would not be enough.
This is also the act where the true masters of playwriting differentiate themselves from the average and the ordinary players and you can find this mastery in plays like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
• ACT 4
We are already in the second half of the play and this is the point where you will insert the falling action as it is most commonly called.
This is the point where the climax has progressed into something that is slowly boiling into the final conclusion.
This is an act which can have a lot of suspense and this is the act where the audience should be highly focused and that is why you must write it in such a way so as to never let the suspense drop.
While some may think that this act is not important but this act is perfectly and statically placed between the third and the fifth act. Rudri pancholi
If you are to portray yourself as a good playwright then you must know how to keep the suspense subdued enough so that it can be revealed in the next step but also heated enough so that the audience’s attention never dissipates.
• ACT 5
We are finally in the final act and this is where everything comes together and all the hard work you have been doing in the plot and all the hard work regarding the characters will all come together.
This is also the act where tragedies shine because this act contains everything that has the recipe for sorrow on a monumental scale.
If the first four acts were simply for the audience to enjoy this is the act that will cement your reputation as a playwright and this is the act that will help you gain an audience and also gain a name for yourself.
However, this act cannot support itself and you must always make sure that the pace of the story is balanced so that the progression is gentle and that there is no sudden jump into the catastrophe from a steady story.
The five act structure is so popular that it has been used repeatedly in history and is still being used in today’s day and age and we can even find very modern examples of this kind of story progression.
If you are someone who believes in this kind of dramatic structure then using the five act structure is a safe bet because it has been tried and tested.
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