Roll no : 15
Paper no :
3.literary Theory &
criticism Western-1
Class : M.A. sem 1
Topic : Literary
term Three unities.
Enrolment no : 2069108420190045
College : Smt.S.B.Gardi Department of English.
Email
id : jeelvyas15@gmail.com
Submitted :
Department of English
M.K.B.University .
Introduction :
The idea of unities in drama and
tragedy is derived by French Classicism from Aristotle's poetics. That unities
required a play to have single action represented in a single place within a
course of the day. These principle called, Unity
of Time, place and action.
These three unities were redefined
by Italian humanist Lodovico Castelvetro in his interpretation of Aristotle in
the year 1570. Three unities are usually
referred as Aristotelian rules for dramatic structure. When we talk about
Aristotle we come to know that his observation of Tragedy are descriptive
rather then prescriptive. He put stress on only one unit that is of plot or an
action.
French Classical Tragedy, the
unities were adhered to literary and become the source of endless critical palemices.
According to this story of Tragedy must of last 24 hours of hero and in the
single place means a room or a city.
The prestige of this unities
continued to dominate French drama until the Romantic era.
The unity of action :
A play should have one main
action that it follows with no or few subplot.
When we talk about the plot with
unity of action we must remember the Triangle Of Freytag. It is most important because of its three
parts and they are Begging, middle and end. When play began it’s with rising
action then we find climax in middle of play from where the falling action
starts and the end of the play come.
The plot must be with wholeness.
Wholeness of beginning, middle, end. According to Aristotle ideal plot do not
have a subplot. The best example of is the play “ Romeo and Juliet”. We find
old rivalry is a subplot of the play.
The combination of incident are must be one. The
story of one person. If we find subplot in story that story does not following
Unity of action. Aristotle is against the plurality of action because he
believes that it weakens the tragic effect. He thinks that number of incident
should be connected to each other in manner that they must be conducive to one
effect.
In Aristotle’s poetics, he
explain his theory of Tragedy. According to that plot is important aspect of
the tragedy. He consider plot as a soul of Tragedy. He defines plot is the “ arrangement
of incident.” Therefore the plot must be complete with everything in it. This
is how “ unity of action” come in to play.
Scene must be relevant with each
other. Scene must be relevant with it’s previous and setting up to the next.
The play must be self relent. It can not
relay upon any outside force to insure it’s unity of action. This outside force
are called dues-ex-machina. In which some sudden change solves the problem of the
play. The example of this can be seen in Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth. The
unity of action depends on character. But we find that witches prophecy leads to
Macbeth’s murder of Duncan. The Duncan’s sons plan revenge upon him. And this
force Macbeth for more murder.
Unity of action defines the
progression through a plot. It also helps audience to connect their self with
play and motivate them to see what happens next . Therefore unity of action
become a powerful tool used to distract from lapses on logic and plot holes.
If in a play unity of action
manage in a good way then no one question the logic of what's happening at that
moment because this details buried within many action.
Unity of time :
“ The action in a play should cover over a period of
no more then 24 hours”
According to Classical
tradition the action of the play should occurs in one revolution of sun. According
to them if it is a Tragedy then that is a last day of hero. You cannot show
that hero's childhood or action that is done previously. If author wants to say
something from hero's past then he must use course.
Now a days when we talk about
movie and series we can see that they use flashback technique to show action
done in past. They can show like this because things are recorded. But when we
talk about the classical for them using this type of technique is difficult
because their audience is live. What ever happening is in front of audience not
in front of camera. When this things is done by camera it is easy to use this
technique. But when audience is live it’s difficult that is why they believe
that when the tragedy began it must be the last day of hero. Because it is easy
to show when audience is live.
The unity of time supposed
action to duration roughly of a single day. Aristotle meant that the length of
the time represented in a play should be ideally speaking the actual time passing
during it’s presentation. The example of Aristotle concept can be seen in comparison
between epic Beowulf and tragedy Macbeth.
The action on Beowulf takes
place in span of well over five years. We can see that when Beowulf is first
introduce he is in Daneland to help Hrothgar rid Hearot of Grendel. After
successfully defeating Grendel he rules over there five year.
And when we talk about Macbeth
we cam see that audience does not give specific time line. This audience can
only assume that correct action goes in Malcolm and Donalbain to travel England
and Ireland. The play does not name anytime it could be seen as one continued
action.
Limiting the action of the
play like giving your self as a writer a time limit by which to resolve your
story. Though the unity of time is useful there are successful plays which do
not follow Unity of time. For example Chekhov's Three Sister, Arthur Miller’s A
View From The Bridge and Cheryl Chruchill's For And Away.
Unity of place :
“ A play should exist in a single
physical space and not attempt to compress geography nor should stage represent
more then one place”
When
we talk about ancient time we can see that the play were perform live. That
time there is no recording like we have now a days. We see movie record by camera
so, if they show multiple places it’s ok. But that time there is no recording so, if they change place many time it’s
difficult for audience to image stage
as place where the thing is going on. We
also have to remember that if the place change so many times then they have to
change background according to place. So, change settings so many times is also
difficult for crew member as well as
actor to ready according to place and thing. So, if the place is one it is easy
to perform.
When we talk about Aristotle
we have see that he never mentioned the unity of place. The doctrine of three
unities which has figured so much in literary criticism. Renaissance cannot be paid
to his account. He is not the author of it, it was foisted in on him by the
Renaissance critic of France and Italy.
In the transaction period the
stage must be transferred from one place into another causes an interruption in
action, flow, and pacing of the story, sometime pulling audience, member out of
the story. Seeing set pieces and furniture moved by stage hands and actors
breaks the willing suspension of disbelief for some audience and remind them that
they are seeing a play Instead of seeing a slice of reality behind an invisible
fourth well. Unity of place is less expensive and easier to physically manage.
Example of play which follow all three Unity :
Odious Rex is best example
because it follows all three unities. It follows Unity of time because the
events of the play within the time span of one day. The action which take place
in past are reported by messenger. So, we can say that it follows Unity of
time.
It follows Unity of place
because everything happens in the palace steps. If Oedipus wants to speak with anyone who is not present like Teiresias they
sent at the palace. Oedipus doesn’t go to anywhere else. So, we can say that Unity of place is
followed in play.
Unity of action is followed
because whatever happens in a play is related with Oedipus himself. Oedipus and
his immediate investigation into Laius's murder and then his own history and parentager.
We do not find any subplot in a play. So, we can say that the play follow the
unity of action.
Through this we can say that Oedipus Rex
is best example of three unities which is follows all this unities.
Conclusion :
This three unities are
rules for drama derived from a passage In Aristotle poetics. This unities are
followed by so many writer and plays. Though there are the play which do not
follow this unities but they are successful play. Through this we can say that the
rule of three unities is made to understand play in better way.
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