Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The secret of prologue....


Well, I was interested to find out that modern plays lack two important elements that were very crucial in the Greek plays- the prologue and the exodus. I would like to talk about the prologue as it serves as a platform for the playwright to not just expose the characters but also provide significant details about the main characters especially the protagonist. Personally, the prologue can be equated to an ‘imaginary stage’ that is predominantly occupied by the protagonist. In a nutshell, it is in this stage that the character of the protagonist is revealed and his/her development becomes obvious to the audience which will facilitate the development of the central conflict in the first scene. Thus, I believe that the importance of the prologue is undeniable and thus, we as readers should focus more on the prologue while reading the Aristotelian plays.

1 comment:

Grimmfez Jo said...

I totally agree with what Priya has to say about the lack of prologue and exodus in the modern plays. True enough; the prologue gives an introduction to the readers or audience about the play. Without the prologue, readers will be wondering what the heck happen before the crisis and why the conflict arises. In many cases, the core of the crisis is often foreshadowed in the prologue and this will help lead the readers to further understand the development of the play. The exodus on the other hand, acts as the resolution to the play. Many modern plays leave the readers or audiences to guess the ending of the play. The resolution for the conflict that arises during the play is often not stated and the readers are free to decide their own ending and have different interpretations on the play. Though this strategy helps to enlighten the readers intellectually, yet personally I feel that it is important for the readers to know what the writer has to say during the end of the play. Therefore, bring back the glory of prologue and exodus!