Three unities
- 2. Classical unities, Aristotelian unities, or three unities Unity of Time Unity of Place Unity of Action Derived from Aristotle’s ‘Poetics’. Aristotle Mentioned only Unity of Action These three unities were redefined in 1570 by the Italian humanist Lodovico Castelvetro in his interpretation of Aristotle. Referred to as “Aristotelian rules” for dramatic structure
- 3. 1. Unity of Time: The action of the play should take place in a short internal chronology, ideally, no more than 24 hours. The neo-classicists believe that the spectators would not believe in the reality of an action that consists of several days or years into a three- hour drama. If the spectators did not believe in the reality of an action, the tragedy would not have its proper effect. It will also give a dramatist a timer to resolve the story. Example : A midsummer Night’s Dream
- 4. 2. Unity of Place: The Unity of Place dictates that the action of the play should take place in one location, in a single physical space. The stage should not represent more than one place at the same time. It should not be employ variations of the scene to change the setting of the action. The transition period of makeover of the stage causes break in action, pacing of the story, and sometimes pulls out audience out of the story. Example : Waiting for Godot
- 5. 3. Unity of Action: It is the unity of action which makes the plot comprehensible, lucid, and specific. The plot of the play should have one main plot with zero or very few subplots. If subplots exist, it should contribute in developing the main plot. The plot must have “a beginning, a middle and an end”. No scene is to be included that does not advance the plot directly. Example : Waiting for Godot
- 6. Dryden In ‘an essay of dramatic poesy’, Crites overrates the ancients for their adherence to the 3 unities, Neander, Dryden’s mouthpiece , defends it’s violation by the moderners, especially by Shakespeare. Ben Jonson Ben Jonson’s supported the Greek concept of Three Unities as a means to contribute to the realism of a play. Dr. Johnson They are necessary but excessive dependence on them makes a play conventional. Johnson shows that Shakespeare, being a great playwright avoids conventionally by avoiding the unities of time and place.