Dramatic Character And Relationships With Actor And Spectator
Introduction: the dramatic character
The dramatic character, or the dramatis personae is defined as a “…phrase used to refer collectively, in the form of a list, to the main characters in a dramatic work.”
(Wikipedia, 2015) This therefore differentiates the actor from the character.
When analysing the dramatic character, there are different:
Thomas F. Van Laan focused his studies around role and identity in Shakespeare and mainly looks at the personality traits of the dramatic character from the what the audience can perceive. How is his character made? (Oliphant and Keuris, 2010:
173) In his journal (Knights and Laan, 1979) “he sets out the method he intends to pursue, with special reference to the relation between identity, or sense of self, and the support of a publicly determined role.”
The second approach is based on the work of Souria and Greimas. (Oliphant and
Keuris, 2010: 173). The conventional idea of a character being fictional is left behind in this approach. The actantial model of Greimas is important here:
“The actantial model, developed by A.J. Greimas, allows us to break an action down into six facets, or actants: (1) The subject (for example, the Prince) is what wants or does not want to be joined to (2) an object (the rescued Princess, for example). (3)
The sender (for example, the King) is what instigates the action, while the (4) receiver (for example, the King, the Princess, the Prince) is what benefits from it.
Lastly, (5) a helper (for example, the magic sword, the horse, the Prince 's courage) helps to accomplish the action, while (6) an opponent (the witch, the dragon, the
Prince 's fatigue or a suspicion of terror) hinders it.” (Hébert, 2004)
The last approach introduces the role of the actor. (Oliphant and Keuris, 2010: 173).
If we look at the relationship between character and spectator, actor is a crucial part and should be included in the analysis.
1
The relationship between the actor and the spectator
When analysing the
The dramatic character, or the dramatis personae is defined as a “…phrase used to refer collectively, in the form of a list, to the main characters in a dramatic work.”
(Wikipedia, 2015) This therefore differentiates the actor from the character.
When analysing the dramatic character, there are different:
Thomas F. Van Laan focused his studies around role and identity in Shakespeare and mainly looks at the personality traits of the dramatic character from the what the audience can perceive. How is his character made? (Oliphant and Keuris, 2010:
173) In his journal (Knights and Laan, 1979) “he sets out the method he intends to pursue, with special reference to the relation between identity, or sense of self, and the support of a publicly determined role.”
The second approach is based on the work of Souria and Greimas. (Oliphant and
Keuris, 2010: 173). The conventional idea of a character being fictional is left behind in this approach. The actantial model of Greimas is important here:
“The actantial model, developed by A.J. Greimas, allows us to break an action down into six facets, or actants: (1) The subject (for example, the Prince) is what wants or does not want to be joined to (2) an object (the rescued Princess, for example). (3)
The sender (for example, the King) is what instigates the action, while the (4) receiver (for example, the King, the Princess, the Prince) is what benefits from it.
Lastly, (5) a helper (for example, the magic sword, the horse, the Prince 's courage) helps to accomplish the action, while (6) an opponent (the witch, the dragon, the
Prince 's fatigue or a suspicion of terror) hinders it.” (Hébert, 2004)
The last approach introduces the role of the actor. (Oliphant and Keuris, 2010: 173).
If we look at the relationship between character and spectator, actor is a crucial part and should be included in the analysis.
1
The relationship between the actor and the spectator
When analysing the
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