Lajos Egri
1888-1967
•Born in Hungary, emigrated to US in
1908
•Pre WW1 socialist, communist and
journalist
•Playwright for the Hungarian radical
theatre in NYC
Lajos Egri
1888-1967
•Mid 1930s founded the Egri School of
Writing
•1942: How to Write a Play
•1946: Art of Dramatic Writing: Its
Basis in the Creative Interpretation of
Human Motives
Lajos Egri
1888-1967
•Edited radio (and eventually TV)
plays for CBS
•Acted and directed in a Hungarian
theatre group in NYC
•Collection of his papers available
through the Immigration History
Research Center, Univ. of Minnesota
Egri on “Why we Write”
 We want to be immortal
 We want to be important
 We want attention
 Writers are extremely needy and insecure
 They want to be noticed and remembered
Great Writing
…is a submission to a creative force
(individuation-Jung) that seems to use
the writer as an instrument. Writing
becomes a process of discovery as the
story and characters lead you forward.
Linking Aristotle to Egri
… From the laws of logic to the laws
of dialectics
Aristotle’s Formal Logic
Aristotle developed the laws of logic:
 Law of identity: a thing is always equal to itself
(a=a)
 Law of contradiction: if a thing is always identical
with its self, it cannot be different from itself(a can
never equal not a)
 Law of excluded middle: everything must be one of
two things, (a or not a)
Formal Logic has Limits
Logic is fine of daily life, but when you
begin to contemplate higher questions
like…
How can a man be a man
and nothing else? At what point is man
dead? You need a higher form of
logic.
Hegel’s(1770-1831) Dialectics,
modified by Marxists
(late 1930s)
 Hegel’s “Universal God” was “materialized”
by Engels, Marx, and Trotsky
 Whereas formal logic was rigid and
examined static relationships, dialectics was
the understanding of real life-processes of
motion, contradiction and change existing in
the material world
Laws of Dialectical
Materialism
 Law of quantity into quantity and of quality into
quantity
 Unity of opposites (polarization-attraction)
 Negation of the negation
“Each is linked organically to the other as an
expression to a law which is felt in all grades of
consciousness and general experience”
-Hegel
So what does this mean to
playwrighting?
 Movement and change results from causes
inherent in processes and things, from
internal contradictions. These contradictory
tendencies within phenomena represent, in
reality, a unity of opposites. For every action
this is a natural reaction. Change takes place
in leaps and revolutions.
So what does this mean to
playwrighting?
 There must be something to generate
tensions and create complication and this
something must be natural and organic.
 The force that unifies is human character
and all of its contradictions
 If there is a thesis, there must be an
antithesis. From the two will come a
synthesis, uniting the road to truth
Egri’s Section 1
Premise
Plays have a premise
and every character
has a premise of their own
 No character (figuratively) “lives on an
island” in a play
 Everything in existence is closely related to
everything else
 The more the dramatist reveals, the better the
play
What is a premise?
Everything must have a purpose,
premise or goal. A premise is the
writer’s message; what you have to
say. No idea, situation or emotion can
carry a play thru beginning, middle and
end as well as a clear cut premise.
Expressing Your Premise
 The premise must be clear cut, contain
emotion and be brought-forth by character
and action.
 The premise should be worded so that
anyone can understand it as the author
intended it to be understood
 An unclear premise is as bad as no premise at
all
Three Parts of a Premise
 1). Character (adjective, such as a trait like
“frugality”)
 2). Conflict (verb, should be active, “leads to”)
 3). Conclusion (noun, such as “waste”)
 A good premise is a thumbnail synopsis of your
play
 The writer must take sides, take a stand, commit to
the goal. Without the author’s conviction there is
no premise
Examples of Premise
 Pride brings destruction
 Immorality brings destruction
 Dishonesty leads to destruction
 Extravagance brings destruction
 Egotism leads to destruction
 Greed brings destruction
Any could be true, but the author must commit to only
one of them!
Must a Premise be True?
Only in the story.
 A premise may not be universally true, but if
you choose it the action and characters of
your play must prove it.
 Passion and emotion enter when the author
takes sides and commits.
 Passion and emotion must be driven by the
premise
Can I use someone else’s
premise?
 Yes, but you must make it your own through
your own beliefs, passion and personal
experience.
Must I begin with a premise?
 No, you can begin with an event or character.
 You must allow the premise to unfold and
you must commit
 Characters and action cannot carry a good
play alone
Can I change my premise?
 Yes, but you likely will wind-up going back
to the beginning of your play and rewriting
much of it.
Does my premise have to be
obvious?
 No, it shouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb.
 In a good story you cannot tell where
character ends and premise begins
Can I have more than one
premise?
 Yes, but you must accept the fact that you
will not have a great play.
 Don’t confuse subplots with premises.
Subplots may be included as devices to
propel the action that propels the premise.
How can I find my premise?
 Look within yourself. What do you believe?
Where do your passions lie?
 Study characters
 Study human nature
 Study the “why” (motivation) instead of the
“how” (action)
Remember dialectics:
 There must be something to generate
tensions and create complication and this
something must be natural and organic.
 The force that unifies is human character
and all of its contradictions
 If there is a thesis, there must be an
antithesis. From the two will come a
synthesis, uniting the road to truth
The Art of Dramatic Writing:
Basic Story Structure
1. Develop your Premise
2. Decision or Event Sets Action in Motion
3. Conflict Arises
4. Character is Revealed
5. Characters Develop Under Pressure
of the Situation or Environment
6. Protagonist vs. Antagonist
Propels the Story to its Ultimate
Destination
7. Premise is Proven
Remember dialectics:
 There must be something to generate
tensions and create complication and this
something must be natural and organic.
 The force that unifies is human character
and all of its contradictions
 If there is a thesis, there must be an
antithesis. From the two will come a
synthesis, uniting the road to truth
The Art of Dramatic Writing:
Basic Story Structure
1. Develop your Premise
2. Decision or Event Sets Action in Motion
3. Conflict Arises
4. Character is Revealed
5. Characters Develop Under Pressure
of the Situation or Environment
6. Protagonist vs. Antagonist
Propels the Story to its Ultimate
Destination
7. Premise is Proven
West Wing Episode
 Characters: Leo, The President, Josh
 Event: Republicans want to strike a deal
suppressing Leo’s substance abuse in exchange for
his recommendation to the President that he accept
a Congressional Censure
 Leo is loyal to the President; Leo’s friends don’t
want to see him destroyed; Josh wants a friend to
become more than a friend
Mills Schedule Changes
 I will not hold office hours this week due to
my husband’s surgery on Tuesday
 I will be available via email Thursday and
Friday of this week.
 Do not hesitate to contact me via email if you
have a question or need something
Egri’s Section 2
Character
Describing characters is not enough.
You must understand them.
 If a character is happy, sad, rude, friendly,
apathetic or active, you must understand
WHY.
 To understand the action of any character we
must look at the motivation that compels him
or her to act as he or she does.
 Understanding character allows you to truly
understand how the story will move forward.
The Bone Structure: Making
Characters Three-dimensional
 Physiology
 Sociology
 Psychology
Environmental Pressures
 Physical, mental, sociologic, economic,
political
 These are ever-changing
Character = physiology + sociology + psychology
pressures of the environment
As with all mathematical equations, as one variable
changes the resulting product changes, and here his where
we can form our character’s growth or arc
Dialectical Approach
 Thesis: What the character wants
 Antithesis: Obstacle preventing them from
getting what they want
 Synthesis: Thesis and Antithesis circling
around each other create dramatic action and
change, the only constant of the human
condition
A Character Grows
 Through Synthesis
 All great plays build upon the constant
change and development of a character under
the impact of conflict
Weak vs. Strong Characters
 Weak characters have no power to put up a
fight. They are always held back or their
growth is implausible.
 Strong characters grow and find the will to
change and get what they want
 Josh’s secretary is an example of a strong
character that is not a protagonist or lead
Character Drives Plot
 Yes, this is the OPPOSITE of what Aristotle
believed.
 The pivotal character is the Protagonist.
 Anyone who opposes the pivotal character is
an Antagonist.
 There may be more than one of both.
Orchestration
 This is the melding of character with plot
 Good orchestration allows the plot to rise in
several stages or intervals
 Orchestration demands well-defined and
uncompromising characters in opposition,
moving from one pole toward another
through conflict
Unity of Opposites
 There is no compromise in a good play. One
thing has to be destroyed in order for the
other to live. EXAMPLES:
 Science vs. Superstition
 Religion vs. Atheism
 Capitalism vs. Communism
Unity of Opposites: Character
 EXAMPLES OF CHARACTER TRAITS
 Sloth vs. Productivity
 Fear vs. Confidence
 Loneliness vs. Companionship
 Innocence vs. Maturity
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
 What is the premise of “The Heart is a
Lonely Hunter?”
 State the premise as a thesis, proven by
“Mick.”
 State the premise as an antithesis, proven by
“Singer.”
Character: The Bottom Line
(for a great play)
 The dominant trait or quality of a character
must fundamentally change
 The change must be motivated by that
character him or herself (plausible)
 Unity of opposites brings the conflict that
allows a great story to rise to a climax
The premise is proven by strong
characters




A decision or event sets the action in motion
A conflict arises
The true nature of the character(s) is revealed
Characters develop under pressure of the situation
or environment
 Thesis/antithesis propel the story to its ultimate
destination
 Premise is proven
Singer




His deep desire is for friendship, “connection”
He is very observant and a “good listener.”
Gives Mick a gift: music
Often his kindnesses are not returned, and he
remains lonely, isolated (chess game)
 Cruel circumstances are beyond his control
(Andropolis’ behavior, doctor’s illness)
 Makes sacrifices for the collective
The Bone Structure: Making
Characters Three-dimensional
Character = physiology x sociology = psychology
________________________________________
Pressures of the environment
Singer’s equation
Deaf mute X outcast = loneliness/frustration (isolation)
_____________________________________________
Pressure to conform to society
Antithesis: Isolation leads to destruction/death
Mick
 Her deep desire is for beauty beyond her
grasp
 She also gives gifts… helps Singer “hear”
music… gives her friends a party… takes
care of her brothers
 She also makes sacrifices for the collective:
her family (room)
Mick’s Equation
Innocent X Outcast = Frustration/Anger
___________________________________
Pressure to accept life is unfair
Thesis: Communication leads to freedom
Doctor’s Equation
Dying X Racism = Bittnerness/Stubborness
_____________________________________
Pressure to conform to societal rules
Thesis: Communication leads to
understanding and love
Jake’s equation
Psychological pain X Drifter = Feels hopeless
______________________________________
Struggle for meaning in life
Antithesis: Violence leads to a meaningless existence
Egri, Part 3:
CONFLICT
What is conflict?
 Definition: “a state of opposition or
incompatibility between two or more people
or groups of people.”
 Argument is not conflict
 Contrast is not conflict
 A conflict can have no less than two forces
(characters)
Conflict won’t happen if…
 Your characters all get along perfectly with
each other because none of them are flawed
 Your characters are weak or superficial
Conflict won’t be satisfying if…
 The action is illogical and difficult to sustain
(logos)
 The action is static and never really goes
anywhere (because characters aren’t willing
or aren’t strong enough to make a decision or
take action)
Conflict needs…
 Strong characters that can grow
 Intensity provided by the strength or the will
of the protagonist
 Protagonist and antagonist must be evenly
matched (Kirk and Spock vs. Klingons or
Romulins)
Almost all conflict can
be traced to…
 Environmental pressures
 Social pressures
 Psychological flaws of main character
 It is the main character’s nature and will that
create the counteraction that sets the play in
motion
Your challenge as the
storyteller:
 Line up the forces that will create the conflict
 Bring those forces out of the true nature of
your protagonist and antagonist
 Each character must have a stake in the
outcome of the conflict
Typical dramatic conflicts:
 Between human beings
 Within human beings
 Between human beings and non-human
animate beings
 Between human beings and natural forces
Three kinds of conflict
 Static: ping-pong, doesn’t GO anywhere
 Jumping: Not believable, inorganic,
overdramatic
 Rising: Always moving up (with plateaus).
Always involves foreshadowing. Rising
action can be unrelenting, so you must give
your audience room to breathe
Conflict Structure:
Crisis, Climax and Resolution
 The unbreakable BOND between characters
ensures rising crisis, climax and resolution
 The climax must be inherent from the very
beginning of the play: choosing your
protagonist and antagonist predicated it.
 BUT… the climax can still be ruined if any
character weakens for some reason
Crisis and Climax
 These follow each other to the rising plateaus
 One single scene may contain the exposition
of premise for that particular scene, the
exposition of character, conflict, transition,
crisis, climax and resolution
 The procedure is repeated over and over in
an ascending scale
Periodical Connections
 All the elements of a three-act play are
actually repeated over and over again in each
defining scene
 Crisis, climax, resolution and exposition are
cyclical
What is a Crisis?
 Any turning point
 A state of things in which a decisive change
one way or the other is impending
What is a Climax?
(Egri)
 The resolution of all crises
 The culminating point
 It is the height of all plateaus
 It is the part before the resolution
What is a Climax?
(Vogler, pp. 208-209)
 Greek for ladder.
 Explosive moment
 Highest peak in energy
 Last big event in a work
 Highly emotional but decisive
“Quiet” Climax
 Gentle wave of emotion
 Sense that all conflicts are harmoniously
resolved
 Tensions are converted into feelings of
pleasure and peace
“Rolling” Climax
 Individual subplots each require their own
climax
 Hero experiences a climax with each new
level of awareness or emotion
 Mind, body, spirit climaxes and the hero’s
whole world changes
Climax leads to Catharsis
 Psychoanalysis: catharsis is a technique for
relieving anxiety
 A raising of the consciousness of both hero and
audience
 A sudden expanse of awareness, peak of higher
consciousness
 May include physical expressions like laughter
Climax and Character Arc
 Logical result of a character’s change or
growth
 A common flaw is the climax is reached too
abruptly
The Puffy Chair
 2005 Jay and Mark Duplass
 Mark Duplass plays Josh
 Has won many independent film awards
 Shot on a very low budget… on location…
with friends who worked for little or no pay