Les trente-six situations dramatiques

by Georges Polti

"Les trente-six situations dramatiques" by Georges Polti is a descriptive list published in 1895. Polti analyzed classical Greek texts and French works to categorize every dramatic situation that might occur in a story or performance. The book presents thirty-six fundamental situations—from supplication and vengeance to self-sacrifice and adultery—each with necessary elements and examples. Originally intended to continue Carlo Gozzi's earlier work, this influential classification system has become a widely used tool for writers, dramatists, and storytellers seeking to understand narrative structure.