freytags

Freytags most commonly refers to the dramaturgical contributions of German writer Gustav Freytag and the term Freytag's Pyramid, a five-part model of dramatic structure introduced in his analysis Die Technik des Dramas (The Technique of Drama). The framework aims to describe the typical arc of action in tragedy and has since been generalized to prose and film.

The five parts are Exposition, which introduces setting, characters, and background; Rising action, a sequence of complications that increases tension; Climax, the turning point and peak of intensity; Falling action, events that unwind the conflict; and Catastrophe, or denouement, the resolution, often involving disaster in tragedy or closure in other genres.

Usage and critique: Freytag's Pyramid is widely taught as a framework for plotting in literary analysis, screenwriting, and education. It provides a simple schematic for understanding how narratives unfold. Critics note that it can be overly rigid and that many works—especially modern novels and films—blend stages, skip the catastrophe, or subvert the expected arc. Nevertheless, the model remains a foundational reference in discussions of narrative structure.

Other contributions: Beyond the pyramid, Freytag was a prominent 19th-century novelist and critic. His notable fiction includes Soll und Haben, and Die Technik des Dramas continues to influence studies of drama theory. The term Freytags is sometimes used to refer to Freytag's broader analyses of dramatic form and its applications.