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The Art of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives
 
 

The Art of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives (Paperback)

by Lajos Egri (Author) "A MAN sits in his workshop, busy with an invention of wheels and springs ..." (more)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Newly Rev. Ed edition (17 May 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0671213326
  • ISBN-13: 978-0671213329
  • Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 13.7 x 2.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 100,451 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #43 in  Books > Reference > Publishing & Books > Authorship

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Product Description

Product Description

Lajos Egri examines a play from the inside out, starting with the heart of any drama: its characters. For it is people - their private natures and their inter-relationships - that move a story and give it life. All good dramatic writing depends upon an understanding of human motives. Why do people act as they do? What forces transform a coward into a hero, a hero into a coward? What is it that Romeo does early in Shakespeare's play that makes his later suicide seem inevitable? Why must Nora leave her husband at the end of A Doll's House? These are a few of the fascinating problems which Egri analyzes. He shows how it is essential for the author to have a basic premise - a thesis, demonstrated in terms of human behaviour - and to develop his dramatic conflict on the basis of that behaviour. Premise, character, conflict: this is Egri's ABC. His book is a direct, jargon-free approach to the problem of achieving truth in a literary creation.


About the Author

Lajos Egri was born in the city of Eger, Hungary, and wrote his first three-act play at the age of ten. For more than thirty-five years he has written and directed plays in Europe and the United States. He was director of the Egri School of Writing in New York City for many years.

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A MAN sits in his workshop, busy with an invention of wheels and springs. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Advanced, 12 Feb 2001
By A Customer
Don't buy this as your first introduction to dramatic writing. But if you've read Syd Field and the others, this one will take you way beyond. It might be daunting, but it will sure open your eyes to the demands of writing good drama.
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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Useful info, but you might prefer something more modern, 21 Jun 2000
By HLT (Wales, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
Don't be fooled by the recent publication date of this edition: the work dates from the 1940s. I found the style to be hard going and the examples to be somewhat trite, and I confess that after I read my copy, it ended up in a charity shop. If you consult Egri's entry on Wikipedia (as of today, at least!), you will find a link to the first chapter which will help you decide for yourself on its likely relevance to your needs.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Woody Allen Recommended This Book, 7 May 2008
Woody Allen said of Lajos Egri "I still think his 'The Art of Dramatic Writing' is the most stimulating and best book on the subject ever written, and I have them all." (Part One, 'Woody Allen - A Biography' by Eric Lax).
This is how I found out about Egri's book and were I to try to give it the full praise it deserves I'd quickly run out of superlatives.
Even if you have no intention of getting into writing I would recommend this work because of the way it will transform your understanding not only of plays, but all narrative art forms. You will put down the book enlightened, empowered and aware of how little many supposed authorities in the field of writing (especially in higher education) grasp about the fundamentals of play-, novel- & screen-writing.
For someone who wants to be a writer this work will prove invaluable. I won't go into the specifics of Egri's approach (which involves the distinction between an idea and a premise and the narrative's role in the 'proving' of premses) since it wouldn't be possible in the space available, but urge you to get a copy now.
Will Taylor
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Rewarding if you make it to the end.
This book is not for the faint-hearted and definitely not for the writers who are just starting out. It is harder to get into than the Pentagon and is heavy going throughout. Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. Staniford

5.0 out of 5 stars Mr. Egri's Masterpiece
Excellent fundamental advice and instruction for a creative writer. Easy to read, with interesting metaphors and motifs for any aspiring composer of dramatic stories. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Harry Boyd

3.0 out of 5 stars somewhat disappointing
This book has received many positive reviews so maybe my expectations were simply too high. I did not find this book particularly inspiring. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Erik Norgaard

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality
If you want to understand how to write drama for theatre, films or tv you will not find a better book. Read more
Published on 23 Jul 2007 by P. Carmichael

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable advice from a genius
I must have nearly 20 books on the subject of writing fiction. But two books stand out; this and Egri's other book - The Art Of creative Writing. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2006 by pl240596

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