The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations: An Anatomy of Storytelling

Georges Polti's classic analysis of tragic drama consists of thirty-six scenarios, with numerous examples given in support of the described plot structures.

Compared against modern analysis of storytelling, Polti's system is relatively brief and light on complexity. A system is devised, whereby the major roles are defined in brackets at the beginning of each scenario. Their place and instrumental value to a story is explained, and within many of the thirty-six variations are certain subtypes...