Composition - this is a comparison, co-location of individual parts of a work (play, script, performance). That is, the composition is “responsible” for the construction of the work, taking direct part in this process.
Each work has its own “order of construction.” It is determined by the generally accepted, known to us, conditional division into “main moments of the action”: the beginning (where the initial event is), the climax (where the main event is), the denouement (where the final “resolution” of the end-to-end action/plot occurs).
The composition establishes certain patterns of connection between the individual parts of the work - the main moments of action, episodes, scenes and, if necessary, within them. That is, the establishment of a certain relationship and interdependence between previous and subsequent actions, events - how and with what they influence each other - this is “the establishment of patterns of connection between the individual parts of the work,” which should be the main “concern” of the composition.
IN classic version dramaturgy distinguishes the following parts of a work of art: prologue, exposition, plot, development, climax, epilogue.
This list and order are not mandatory. The prologue and epilogue may not be present in the narrative, and the exposition can be located anywhere and not necessarily in its entirety.
Subjects modern works are often built according to a simplified scheme: plot - development of action - climax - denouement, or according to an even more simplified plot - action - climax (also known as denouement).
Prologue - the introductory (initial) part of a literary and artistic work, which anticipates the general meaning, plot-plot basis or main motives of the work, or briefly outlines the events that precede the main content.
Prologue function - convey the events that prepare the main action. However, the prologue is not the first episode of the narrative that is forcibly cut off from it.
The events of the prologue should not duplicate the events of the initial episode, but should generate intrigue precisely in combination with it.
Exposition - depiction of the arrangement of characters and circumstances immediately preceding the unfolding of the plot action.
Exposure functions:
Determine the place and time of the events described;
Introduce characters;
Show the circumstances that will be the prerequisites for the conflict.
The beginning - the moment from which the plot begins to move. The beginning is the first clash between the conflicting parties.
The event may be global or small, or the hero at the first moment may not appreciate its importance at all, but in any case, the event changes the lives of the heroes. The characters begin to develop according to the idea of the work.
Climax - the pinnacle of the plot, highest point conflict of the work, the point of its resolution.
Plot resolution - outcome of events, resolution of plot contradictions.
Epilogue - the final part added to the finished work of art and not necessarily connected with it by the inextricable development of the action.
Just as the prologue introduces the characters before the action begins or reports what preceded it, so the epilogue introduces the fate of the characters who interested him in the work.
M.A. Chekhov defined the composition of the play as a three-member whole. “You will experience the beginning as a seed from which a plant develops; the end is like a ripe fruit, and the middle is like the process of turning a grain into a mature plant, the beginning into an end.” He argued that “in a well-constructed play (or performance) there are three climaxes, corresponding to three main parts. They are in the same relationship with each other as these parts themselves (commencement, development, denouement).” Then each of the three main parts of the whole can be subdivided into any number of smaller ones with their own auxiliary culminations. In addition, in other tense moments it is necessary to place accents that allow the director not to deviate from the main idea and at the same time implement his own directorial plan.
Composition is the main thing that distinguishes the work of one director from another. The composition should never be artificially composed, a kind of fictitious microcircuit. This is the biography of space, emerging from the actors, from the air, and from the specific scene, from the relationships around the performance. The composition is a mass of incarnations in real circumstances.
Composition of the play “Masha and Vitya against the Wild Guitars”:
Exposition: The sorceress begins to tell, “create” a fairy tale.
She introduces auditorium with the main characters - Masha, who believes in fairy tales, and Vitya, who does not believe in them. The guys have an argument, as a result of which Masha decides to prove that she is right - the fairy tale exists.
Plot: Masha and Vitya learn about the abduction of the Snow Maiden.
Father Frost tells the children that Koschey stole the Snow Maiden and now the New Year will never come. Primary school students decide to go to the fairytale forest and, at all costs, save the granddaughter of Santa Claus.
Plot development: schoolchildren, having found themselves in a fairy-tale forest, encounter evil spirits, which they are helped to cope with by friendship and courage.
Having learned that the guys are going to rescue the Snow Maiden, the evil spirit decides to separate them and defeat them one by one. Their main task is to prevent the guys from finding the Kingdom of Koshchei. However, forest dwellers offended by evil spirits come to the aid of Masha and Vita, who are rescued by students along the way. In gratitude for their salvation, the “positive heroes” help the children find their way to Koshchei.
Climax: The Snow Maiden's release from captivity.
Masha, having arrived in Koshcheevo’s Kingdom, makes a deal with the main villain - she exchanges a “magic” recipe for toothache (Koshchey has been “struggling” with his teeth for a long time) for the Snow Maiden.
Denouement: Victory over evil spirits.
Vitya, saving Masha from the clutches of Koshchei, enters into a fight with him, in which he wins. Baba Yaga, Leshy, Wild Cat Matvey and other evil spirits set off in pursuit of the children. The Sorceress and the auditorium come to the aid of the children.
Epilogue: The children return to school, where Father Frost and Snow Maiden are waiting for them.
The performance ends with general joy - the New Year has come.
I talked about these things in some detail in my past articles. But questions, oddly enough, still remain. Okay, then I'll explain more clearly.
Commencement - development and climax - denouement - these are the four constituent elements of any plot in literature. Since I am dealing with theater, I will tell you how these four elements are embodied in the stage space, when the director interprets a dramatic work (dramaturgy).
Dramaturgy is (to put it simply) a type of prose literature, which is created according to certain principles of stage action existing in the theater. Any drama is built on a dialogue between characters, which has (or should have) a clearly defined effective (target) nature.
Oh yes. Here and there I encounter a misunderstanding of what prose is and what its role is in literature. Many people confuse them, many don’t even understand what’s what. Remember: everything we read is literature. Literature is conventionally divided into two main types or directions: poetry (rhythmic presentation) and prose (non-rhythmic or free (not having a clear rhythmic structure) presentation of the author’s thoughts). Prose, in turn, has many varieties, there is both oral and written prose. There is some “cunning” prose that many people still don’t understand where to classify it as. This is dramaturgy.
Ancient thinkers (from the time of Aristotle, for example) considered dramaturgy to be a type of poetry. However, “why” they did this is completely clear. For the dramaturgy of those times strongly resembled poetic forms (and was rarely presented in direct “non-rhythmic” speech in the way that exists now).
But a lot of time has passed since then. And now - dramatic work has (almost) nothing to do with poetry.
It is believed that any dramaturgy has a written embodiment (in the form of a play) and a stage embodiment (in the form of a director’s interpretation). This is both true and not true – at the same time. For - being formed into a specific work that has four elements of plot, it and, as a consequence, it (the work) can and should be called a type of prose (literature). How the director will retell the play later - God knows. But initially - dramatic work- there is a type of prose. Which, in turn, is the “pillar” (direction) of literature itself.
Of course, dramaturgy is very dependent as a variety or genre, because it is “sharpened” not on descriptive, but on effective perception, which is so in demand in the theater. But this does not in any way cancel its literary “roots”.
Yes, any play is initially a literary (prose) work, which is written according to the laws of stage action. Explicit or implicit.
I hope I haven't clouded your brain too much. No? This is good. What to do, without a clear definition of such rules of the game, unfortunately, there is no point in writing about anything else. Because then we will simply get confused in the details. And you won't understand anything. And I will throw information like peas against a wall. Do we need it? Hardly.
So, let's get down to the details that are so dear to me. I will note that I will consider the “commencement, development, climax and denouement” through the prism of dramatic works.
So, What is a “tie”? This is where the story itself began. Let's take for example a dramatic work (play) “The Seagull” by A.P. Chekhov.
Where exactly does “The Seagull” begin? Since Kostya Treplev and his beloved Nina Zarechnaya are preparing to show a performance for their mother, who occasionally comes to the estate of her brother Sorin, Arkadina, where Kostya lives. The most important starting point of this story (“the plot”) is Arkadina’s arrival. And here's why. "Prima" arrives, " socialite" And for Kostya, the performance is a reason to regain (or earn) his mother’s respect.
It begins with Kostya’s difficult relationship with his mother, which will be clearly confirmed in the scene of the play. this story. By the way, during the performance the mother behaves disrespectfully, constantly commenting on certain plot moves and mocking their ineptitude.
“Development” consists of several turning points and events. This is the process of maturation of the main conflict of the play. PROCESS. Remember development does not consist of one moment, it is always a complex of moments that intensifies the conflict. What is the main conflict in the play “The Seagull” - every director must understand for himself.
Chekhov, in the sense of defining the conflict of his plays, is not a simple author. More precisely, there are some of his plays in which the conflict is multi-level. “The Seagull” is just one of those. In this play one can look for a conflict between the needs and interests of generations (both creative and – age – “fathers and sons”). It is possible - a conflict in the area of “the price of success” (to what extent can and is possible to reach in order to achieve success). You can even formulate the conflict in the area of the junction of times(this is not an age conflict, it is rather a technotronic conflict).
And the “plot” that I wrote about above stems from the age conflict between fathers and children. But if you are looking for (using) another conflict to select production decisions, you will it is useful to define “commencement, development, climax, denouement” based on the conflict. I will talk about this in more detail below.
What turning points and events can be called “development” in the play “The Seagull”? This is the actual break in the relationship between Treplev and Nina Zarechnaya in the scene with the dead seagull. And Kostya’s failed suicide attempt some time later (the scene when Arkadina bandages her son’s head). And Kostya challenges Arkadina’s husband, the writer Trigorin, to a duel, which the latter does not accept.
The culmination of the plot, if we define the conflict in the area of “fathers and children,” is the departure (and in fact, escape) of the mother and her husband from the estate of her brother, Sorin.. "We didn't agree." The generations did not understand each other and decided to disperse in order to prevent something completely bad from happening.
“Dénouement” - the death of Kostya Treplev in the finale. The younger generation is losing to the older generation - in courage, determination, will - in everything. “Denomination” is how the conflict ends in the end.
And finally - I will tell you how best to formulate “commencement, development, climax and denouement”, taking into account the generational conflict I have chosen.
At the beginning of our history, there is a clash of generations. So let’s call the “commencement” – “collision”. In “development” we observe the struggle and the possibility of (attempts to) adapt generations to each other. Let’s call it “confrontation” or tug of war.” The culmination is “we didn’t agree.” “Denomination” - finding itself outside of the confrontation - the younger generation destroys itself (Kostya commits suicide, and Nina gets lost in the endless hardships of life and professional life). "Death."
Ever since school, we have been taught the unshakable formula “introduction-main part-conclusion”. How important is it for an author to remember the structure of the text and is it necessary at all?Don't write at random
It would seem that writing is a creative process and not very connected with such mundane concepts as planning, systematization and structuring. But this is not entirely true. A writer not only needs to throw out his ideas on paper, he needs to convey them to the reader. And the form in which we put our thoughts directly affects their perception.If you write thoughtlessly, the result may turn out to be unpredictable and devoid of logic. Traditionally, there are five elements of the structure of a literary work: exposition, plot, development, climax, denouement. Without a plot, climax and denouement, it is difficult to talk about a coherent narrative.
Meaning of structure elements
In the exposition, the author introduces us to the narrative, gives us a background, shows the time and place of action, and introduces us to the characters. In the beginning, the main conflict of the work arises and the ground is prepared for the development of the plot. Here the course is determined and the revelation of the main line of events begins. Missing the beginning is tantamount to refusing to tell the doctor about the symptoms of the disease while waiting for the correct diagnosis. As it develops, we learn about the story itself: conflicts and contradictions are identified, and we begin to better understand the characters. By the time of the climax, everything reaches its climax: the characters’ characters are clearly revealed, the conflict is heated to the limit, events unfold rapidly. Then comes a key twist that defines the work.Depending on quantity storylines and the author’s plan in a work may have several climaxes, but one will still dominate among them. Here it is appropriate to recall the principle of the golden ratio, according to which each part of the whole is related to the other, as the whole whole is to the first part. This principle is present in all forms of art, including literature. No, no, we do not at all call for counting the number of characters of each element of the structure, but these elements must be harmoniously combined with each other and with the volume of the entire work.
The denouement describes the events that occur after the point of no return has been passed. We learn about future fate heroes, about the consequences that resulted from the events of the climax. Sometimes the denouement comes along with the climax. It can be either a direct continuation of events, or sudden and unexpected, but still connected with the previous stages of the narrative.
If the events of the book are well thought out and part of one story, then they are interesting and easy to follow, then the reader will be able to concentrate and appreciate your style and original idea, he won’t have to frantically flip through the pages trying to remember why the hero found himself in such a situation and who was to blame.
How does this work?
Let’s not look far for an example, let’s look at a work that everyone knows: “Kolobok”. Fairy tales, by the way, very clearly illustrate the principle of structuring that we talked about above.What events will set the scene? Everything that happened until Kolobok left his grandparents. All encounters with animals are a development that prepares us for the climax, which comes when Kolobok is caught by the Fox. In this tale, the climax and denouement coincide and are concluded in the words: “His fox - am! - and ate it.”
This is how, in the simplest text, you can see how events are connected to each other and what stages the story has.
In this article we are general outline described the classical plot outline. The composition, of course, can be different - original, innovative, provocative, it can be linear, reverse, detective, but it must be thoughtful and logical. And most importantly: it should be!
Sometimes the structure becomes bright artistic device. For example, Julio Cortazar's Hopscotch is the most famous anti-novel. The author conceived different schemes for reading the novel, which he himself described in the preface. Thus, the book contains several works that are revealed to the reader depending on the order of the chapters. It is also worth remembering Nabokov and his “Pale Fire” - a poem of 999 lines with a non-linear structure and several reading options.
Where to start?
Before you begin, make some notes about what events will be in your story. What will happen in the beginning, the development that will lead to the main thing - the climax, and then identify several main points of the denouement. You just have to fill in the gaps between the indicated points. Such a scheme, no matter how you design it, will allow you to always have before your eyes the story that you have in mind, but at the same time you do not need to keep it in your head all the time, which will allow you to concentrate directly on creativity.Let's go!
We often say that writing is not so simple, that a lot of meticulous work is required to put a creative thought into a beautiful and understandable form. But in fact, all this knowledge is designed to simplify the life of a writer. So a pre-designated structure with outlines important events at each stage will allow you to focus on the artistic component. It will be difficult at first. Even the greats did not find writing easy: Gogol, Tolstoy, and Chekhov revised what they wrote many times. But with practice you will become able to develop a structure quickly and easily. So don’t shy away from this “dirty” work, it only provides the basis for productive creative activity.Go to
and start writing a book right now or upload your finished manuscript to publish it in our catalog!
part three
It is more difficult for a writer to describe the everyday
life than an exclusive situation.
Ilya Shevelev
3. Rules for plotting.
According to the laws of literature, the plot of any work must be completed
In the classical version, a plot is considered such if it contains five components: exposition (and plot), development of action, climax, winding down of action And denouement. The plots of modern works are often constructed according to a simplified scheme: plot – development of action – climax – denouement or even more simplified plot – action – climax (aka denouement).
The classical scheme is more suitable for solid, slowly developing plots; it is used when writing thick books, scripts for plays, and thoughtful films. The lightweight scheme is better suited to our high-speed world; it is used to write scripts for cartoons and action films, as well as for all kinds of comics and other graphic works where the quality of the plot, such as its rapid development, is important.
Which scheme you prefer is up to you to decide. Below I will show you different options development of the action and give you a couple of tips on how to build a plot depending on the genre of the work. But first, first things first.
1.Exposition.
First of all, we inform the reader about where and at what time the action takes place, introduce the characters, briefly tell their story, and introduce the reader to them. There is no conflict here yet, as such, but the prerequisites for it can be identified.
Lorraine moves to new apartment, meets neighbors, calls a friend– this is our exposition: we introduced the reader to the main character, indicated the time and place of action, and indirectly talked about the other characters. The beginnings of the conflict here can be shown through the peculiar relationships of the girls, on the basis of which the shoots of misunderstanding and jealousy will soon arise.
How long the exposition will be depends entirely on the author and his intention. For works with a fast-paced plot, a couple of lines are enough to introduce the reader to the essence of the matter; for works with a protracted plot, the introduction is usually made larger. Try not to overdo it, not to stretch the tie and at the same time not to crumple it too much.
2. The beginning.
Not to be confused with exposure! Actually plot– this is the event from which it all begins. We can say this: if a conflict is the cause of a war, then the beginning is a reason for it, like a violation of a peace treaty.
And in our story, what will serve as a “trigger” for the development of the plot, what event? I think that the action will begin with the acquaintance of our heroines with the handsome Dave, because it is after this that everything will start spinning and spinning. This means that in our case, the beginning of the plot can be considered the dating scene.
Usually the plot is the moment when the hero is confronted with important task, which he must fulfill, or he, the hero, must make his choice. The author usually uses this situation, to define the conflict, show exactly where the hero and villain are at odds, describe exactly how each of them perceives the problem facing them, and subtly hint at what each of them intends to do next.
Now, a young man appeared in the girls’ field of vision, whom they both liked, but he liked Lorraine more, and Inga was infuriated by this. Lorraine is embarrassed that this happened, but she likes the guy and intends to continue their acquaintance. Inga is annoyed, but is not going to do anything yet; she chose to step aside and let her friend do whatever she sees fit.
At the same time, the writer, having ensured that the reader is clearly interested in his story, slowly begins to unwind his intrigue (who will win and who will be left with nothing? How will it end?) and at the same time, gradually presenting to us the main idea of the work (“friendship and love will win all" or, conversely, "no friendship, even the strongest, can withstand betrayal").
There doesn't have to be just one premise; In serious works, authors usually put many plot lines at once - love line, family, detective, political and other, other. The authors of series usually limit themselves to one single line, but no one is stopping you from making several of them. So, as many storylines as there will be, there will be as many ties; they can be scattered throughout the text, but don’t forget: every situation must have a logical conclusion, which means that every tying will have a continuation and denouement. There should be no storylines started but not completed.
3. Development of action in an ascending manner.
This is where the unlimited flight of fantasy begins! The author invents the most incredible plot moves, places the characters in different difficult situations, describes their experiences on this matter and tells us how trials strengthen the characters’ characters, what lessons they learn for themselves.
Heroes must change, this is very important! If the character has not changed at all from the first to the last episode, if he is still the same and perceives the world the same way as before, if he has not learned any valuable lessons for himself, then you have not fulfilled your task as a writer. Why did this story need to be told? What was its deep meaning? What did the author want to tell us? It turns out that there was no point, I didn’t want to say anything, and, in general, there was nothing to talk about.
The action should not be incoherent: here our heroes were caught by a maniac, but they, incomprehensibly escaping from the tormentor, find themselves at an abandoned nuclear station for no reason. Plot moves should “cling” to each other, like loops in knitting, then you will get a solid sock, that is, excuse me, a story.
It would be best if, before describing any move, you slightly “reveal your cards” in advance and give a modest, imperceptible hint that, very possibly, such and such will happen soon. Just a hint, nothing more. For example, if you planned that in an episode or two your hero will threaten someone with a gun, it would be nice to announce now that this cute young man is the proud owner firearms or has the habit of going to the shooting range, where he was noticed as a good shooter. At least, when the reader sees that your Cool Walker is taking aim at his opponent and threatening to shoot off an important part of the poor fellow’s body, he will not have the feeling that he, the reader, was hit in the head with a log. On the contrary, he will be pleased with himself: wow, I’m still in last episode I guessed what to expect from this ranger!
Everything you hinted at in the opening should be developed and fleshed out. The conflict must grow steadily. Let the characters show themselves from different sides, let new participants be involved in the conflict, let those who initially remained silent speak out.
Take, for example, our conflict, which we have already outlined. Two friends quarreled over a guy and are trying to share him, and at the same time maintain friendly relations. And the guy? How does he feel in such a situation? What does he want? What are his intentions regarding each of the girls? Or maybe he doesn't care?
Steadily develop the storyline from episode to episode. If there are several storylines, it is even more interesting, let them intersect, intertwine, “push” each other. The heroine is more likely to commit suicide if her friend betrayed her, she ran out of money, and she had problems at work than if any of these troubles occurred.
So, gradually building up the tension, we step by step bring the heroes to the very important stage throughout history. This climax.
The theme of a drama is its unified action. The theme of Macbeth is ambition. The theme of Romeo and Juliet is love. The theme primarily shapes the drama.
The plot is a theme in a more specific form. The plot of "Macbeth": Macbeth strives for power and commits atrocities for this. Plot of "Romeo and Juliet": Romeo and Juliet love each other; The Montagues and Capulets interfere with their love. – In other words, the plot determines the main line of the dramatic struggle.
The plot of a drama is a system of the most important circumstances and the sequence of the most significant events that determine the dramatic struggle. (When retelling the plot, the “dramatic knot” and the most acute moments of the dramatic struggle should be noted)
Intrigue in drama is sometimes called sequential actions of one of the characters, subordinate to a conscious plan. For example, in Othello, Iago leads the intrigue. Sometimes the intrigue of a drama is called all the interactions of the participants in the drama, the relationship of individual intrigues. In the extreme general view The plot is a kind of basic scheme of the work, including the sequence of actions occurring in the work and the totality of the character relationships existing in it. Typically, the plot includes the following elements: exposition (Exposition (Latin expositio - display, presentation) in literary criticism and folklore - part of the work that precedes the beginning of the development of units of the structure of the work, in particular, part of the work in drama, epic, lyric poetry, which precedes the beginning of the plot. In the exposition, the arrangement of the characters follows, the circumstances arise, the reasons that “trigger” the plot conflict are shown. The exposition can follow both before the plot and after. In folklore, it is also part of the cumulative work, preceding the beginning of the development of the elements of cumulation.
Exposition is the beginning of the main events in the work), the plot (The plot is the event that is the beginning of the action. It either reveals existing contradictions, or itself creates (“knots”) conflicts.
Thus, in William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,” the plot is the meeting of Hamlet (the main character of the tragedy) with a ghost, and the subsequent decision to take revenge on the treacherous king for the murder of his father.
The plot is one of the key elements of the plot.), development of action, climax, denouement (The denouement of the plot is the outcome of events, the resolution of the contradictions of the plot.) and postposition, as well as, in some works, prologue and epilogue. The main prerequisite for the development of the plot is time, and in historical terms ( historical period actions of the work), and in the physical (the passage of time during the work).
Plot and plot. The concept of plot is closely related to the concept of the plot of the work. In modern Russian literary criticism (as well as in the practice of school teaching of literature), the term “plot” usually refers to the very course of events in a work, and the plot is understood as the main artistic conflict that develops in the course of these events. Historically, other views on the relationship between plot and plot have existed and continue to exist. For example:
Ushakov’s explanatory dictionary defines plot as “a set of actions, events in which the main content of a work of art is revealed,” and plot as “the content of events depicted in literary work, in their sequential connection." Thus, the plot, in contrast to the plot, is attributed to the obligatory presentation of the events of the work in their time sequence.
The previous interpretation was supported in the 1920s by representatives of OPOYAZ, who proposed to distinguish between two sides of the narrative: they called the very development of events in the world of the work “plot”, and the way these events are depicted by the author - “plot”.
Another interpretation comes from Russian critics of the mid-19th century and was also supported by A. N. Veselovsky and M. Gorky: they called the plot the very development of the action of the work, adding to this the relationships of the characters, and by the plot they understood the compositional side of the work, that is, how exactly the author reports the content of the plot. It is easy to see that the meanings of the terms “plot” and “fable” in this interpretation, compared to the previous one, change places.
Finally, there is also a point of view that the concept of “plot” has no independent meaning, and to analyze a work it is quite enough to operate with the concepts of “plot”, “plot diagram” (that is, plot in the sense of the first two of the above options), “plot composition” (the way the author presents the events from the plot outline).
Typology of plots. Repeated attempts have been made to classify the plots of literary works, divide them according to various criteria, and highlight the most typical ones. The analysis made it possible, in particular, to identify a large group of so-called “wandering plots” - plots that are repeated many times in different designs among different peoples and in different regions, mostly in folk art(fairy tales, myths, legends).
According to A.E. Neamtsu, from the whole variety of traditional plots, four main genetic groups can be distinguished: mythological, folklore, historical and literary.
As noted by Prof. E.M. Meletinsky, “most traditional plots in the West go back to biblical and ancient myths.”
There are several attempts to reduce the diversity of plots to a small, but at the same time comprehensive set of plot schemes. In the famous short story “The Four Cycles,” Borges claims that all plots come down to just four options:
On the assault and defense of the fortified city (Troy)
About the Long Return (Odysseus)
About the search (Jason)
On the suicide of a god (Odin, Attis)
PERIPETIA (Greek peripe’teia - “sudden turn”), as defined by Aristotle (“Poetics”, Chapter XI) is “the transformation of an action into its opposite”, one of the essential elements of complicating a tragic plot. Examples illustrating this definition (for example, in “Oedipus the King” the shepherd, who appears to reveal to Oedipus his origin and thereby dispel his fear, achieves the opposite effect with his exposure), allow us to compare the Aristotelian peripeteia with the “tragic irony” of modern aesthetics, but, in general speaking, the term “peripeteia” is used more broadly by Aristotle, denoting any unexpected turn in the development of the plot. Lessing and many other theorists of tragedy attributed to Aristotle an understanding of this term and themselves understood it in the sense of that turning point of a tragic action (and not a specific “action”, an act that Aristotle apparently had in mind), which determines the beginning of the descending line of “denouement” " (cm.).
In modern literary criticism, the term “P.” Sometimes it is applied not to dramatic types of verbal art, for example. to the development of the plot of the epic (see) and novel (see).