TİYATRO ARAŞTIRMALARI DERGİSİ, sa.39, ss.37-55, 2015 (Hakemli Dergi)
Among many opinions regarding the analysis of dramatic structure, the technique offered by Gustav Freytag in 1863 is still a valid method used in playwriting and play reviews. Freytag had developed this technique by reviewing Ancient Greek and Shakespearean tragedies, as well as German plays from Classical and Romantic period. The Freytag technique, which fundamentally reflects an Aristotelian perspective, builds the dramatic structure on five parts and three crisis situations. This structure, which is known as “Freytag Pyramid”, consists of three parts called “exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and catastrophe.” Furthermore, there are three crisis situations placed among these parts which are called “inciting force, tragic force and moment of final suspense”. The content of our study includes extensive analysis of these parts and corroboration of them with relevant examples. Certain critiques regarding the Freytag technique are stated in the last section of the study.