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Analyzing how playwrights build tension through character interactions and external obstacles.
Have you ever watched a movie where two characters are just eating dinner in silence, yet you feel like something is about to explode? That 'tight' feeling in your chest is tension, and it is the secret ingredient that keeps an audience glued to their seats.
Quick Check
If a character is trapped in a blizzard while trying to deliver a message, is the primary conflict internal or external?
Answer
External (Man vs. Nature).
Playwrights don't just use stage directions to show tension; they use dialogue. Tension often rises when characters have competing objectives. If Character A wants to leave and Character B needs them to stay, the dialogue will reflect this tug-of-war. Look for stichomythia—short, fast-paced lines of dialogue that mimic a verbal boxing match. Interruptions, loaded silences, and characters refusing to answer questions are all 'red flags' that indicate rising tension. When the 'pressure' of the dialogue becomes too much, the scene reaches a breaking point.
Observe how the pace increases tension: 1. CHARACTER A: 'I'm leaving now.' 2. CHARACTER B: 'You can't.' 3. CHARACTER A: 'Watch me.' 4. CHARACTER B: 'The door is locked.'
The short sentences and direct opposition create an immediate sense of urgency.
Quick Check
How does the length of the sentences in the example above affect the mood of the scene?
Answer
Short, clipped sentences make the scene feel fast-paced, urgent, and tense.
To make a conflict matter, a playwright raises the stakes. Stakes are what the character stands to lose if they fail. If the obstacle is a locked door, the tension is low if the character is just bored. However, if the character is locked in a room that is filling with water, the stakes are . Tension is also built through dramatic irony, where the audience knows about an obstacle that the character does not yet see. This creates a 'ticking clock' effect that keeps the viewers anxious for the character's safety.
A character is happily preparing a surprise party (Goal). The audience sees a letter on the table saying the guest of honor has moved to another country (External Obstacle/Society). The tension comes from the audience's knowledge versus the character's ignorance.
In a complex scene, a character might face both types of conflict. 1. Internal: A soldier feels guilty about a lie (). 2. External: His commander is questioning him directly (). 3. Tension: The soldier stammers, uses ellipses (...), and avoids eye contact, showing the 'internal' pressure leaking into the 'external' conversation.
Which of the following is the best definition of 'Stakes' in a drama?
Two characters are arguing over who gets the last piece of bread during a famine. What type of conflict is this?
Short, rapid-fire dialogue usually decreases the tension in a scene.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to remember the 'Conflict Equation' () and name one example of an internal conflict from a book you've read.
Practice Activity
Watch a 2-minute scene from a play or movie. Count how many times characters interrupt each other or leave a question unanswered. Notice how your 'stress level' changes as they do.