Plot Structure
Need to Know Info
• Protagonist: The main character, an average or
better person, who experience happiness or
misery
• Antagonist: The person or force opposing the
protagonist
• Atmosphere: The environment of the play
• Plot: Series of events in the play that happen
before the audience
• Exposition: The “who, what, where, when” of the
play, and how it is made known to the audience
Preliminary Situation
• Also known as the
antecedent action
• The events that have
occurred in the
character’s lives before
the play began
• How did they get to this
situation?
• Arsenic and Old Lace
Initial Incident
• The first important
event from which the
rest of the plot
develops
• The event that causes
all the other events to
occur
• Arsenic and Old Lace
Rising Action
• The series of events
that follows the initial
incident
• All important characters
are introduced
• Goals and obstacles are
introduced
• This is the “meat” of
the play
• Arsenic and Old Lace
Climax
• The turning point of the
play
• It determines the
outcome of the play
• All the questions are
answered
• Arsenic and Old Lace
Falling Action
• Series of events
following the play
• Minor situations are
worked out
• We learn what will
happen to the
characters
• Shorter than the rising
action
• Arsenic and Old Lace
Conclusion
• The logical outcome of
the play
• The success or failures
of the characters
• Arsenic and Old Lace