36 Dramatic Situations

In his book, Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations, Georges Polti proposed that all narratives are one of thirty-six situations.

Select one of the situations, and create a photograph or series of photographs that tell the story of the situation.

The list below was adapted from a summary by Tim Sheppard.

1) Supplication: Persecutor, Supplicant, and a Power in authority, whose decision is doubtful

2) Deliverance: Unfortunate, a Threatener, and a Rescuer

3) Crime Pursued by Vengeance: Avenger and a Criminal

4) Vengeance Taken for Kindred Upon Kindred: Avenging Kinsman, Guilty Kinsman, Remembrance of the Victim, and a Relative of Both

5) Pursuit: Punishment and Fugitive

6) Disaster: Vanquished Power, and a Victorious Enemy or a Messenger

7) Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune: Unfortunate and a Master or a Misfortune

8) Revolt: Tyrant and Conspirator

9) Daring Enterprise: Bold Leader, an Object, an Adversary

10) Abduction: Abductor, the Abducted, and the Guardian

11) The Enigma: Interrogator, Seeker, and Problem

12) Obtaining: Solicitor, and an Adversary Who is Refusing, or an Arbitrator and Opposing Parties

13) Enmity of Kinsmen: Malevolent Kinsman, a Hatred or Reciprocally Hating Kinsman

14) Rivalry of Kinsmen: Preferred Kinsman, Rejected Kinsman, and the Object

15) Murderous Adultery: Two Adulterers, a Betrayed Husband or Wife

16) Madness: Madman and Victim

17) Fatal Imprudence: Imprudent, and the Victim or the Object Lost

18) Involuntary Crimes of Love: Lover, the Beloved, and the Revealer

19) Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognized: Slayer and the Unrecognized Victim

20) Self-Sacrifice for an Ideal: Hero, the Ideal, and the Creditor, or the Person or Thing Sacrificed

21) Self-Sacrifice for Kindred: Hero, Kinsman, and the 'Creditor' or the Person or Thing Sacrificed

22) All Sacrificed for Passion: Lover, the Object of the Fatal Passion, and the Person or Thing Sacrificed

23) Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones: Hero, Beloved Victim, and the Necessity for the Sacrifice

24) Rivalry of Superior and Inferior: Superior Rival, Inferior Rival, and the Object

25) Adultery: Deceived Husband or Wife, and Two Adulterers

26) Crimes of Love: Lover and the Beloved

27) Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One: Discoverer and the Guilty One

28) Obstacles to Love: Two Lovers and an Obstacle

29) An Enemy Loved: Beloved Enemy, the Lover, and the Hater

30) Ambition: Ambitious Person, a Thing Coveted, and an Adversary

31) Conflict With a God: A Mortal and an Immortal

32) Mistaken Jealousy: the Jealous One, the Object of Whose Possession He is Jealous, the Supposed Accomplice, and the Cause or the Author of the Mistake

33) Erroneous Judgment: Mistaken One, the Victim of the Mistake, the Cause or Author of the Mistake, and the Guilty Person

34) Remorse: Culprit, Victim or the Sin, and the Interrogator

35) Recovery of a Lost One: Seeker and the One Found

36) Loss of Loved Ones: Kinsman Slain, a Kinsman Spectator, and an Executioner