Dramatic Technique Part 79

(_She informs him that he must depart the way he came. He consents but only in a very half-hearted manner. Between Aunt Sophy and Towser he is in a quandary. After several unsuccessful starts he flatly refuses to descend, and upbraids Jane for her cruelty. He dwells at length on the horrors of dog-bites, hydrophobia, madness, and death._)

_Bobby._ (_Injured._) As if I had not already been chewed up so that I can scarcely sit--(_hastily_)--I mean walk.

_Jane._ (_Relenting._) Gracious! Bobby, did he bite you?

_Bobby. Did_ he?

_Jane._ (_Seizing bottle from table._) Heavens! You must put something on it! Some antiseptic! Bobby come here!

_Bobby._ Oh, no, no! No, it's not serious!

_Jane._ Come here this instant!

_Bobby._ (_Flatly._) I won't do it!

(_He succeeds so well in working upon her sympathies that even a knock at Aunt Sophy's door is not enough to make her change her att.i.tude. She now as obstinately refuses to let him descend to certain death as previously he had refused to do it. The knocks are continued. Jane is rapidly losing her head when it suddenly occurs to her that if she stores Bobby away under the bed until Towser has departed or Aunt Sophy has gone to sleep, all may yet be well. While Bobby is ensconcing himself in this new position a three cornered conversation takes place, in which Jane becomes more and more involved._)

_Aunt Sophy._ (_Outside._) Jane, Jane, are you ill?

_Jane._ Ill? Oh, oh! I don't know!

_Aunt Sophy._ Open the door this minute or I'll break it down!

_Jane._ Break it down?

_Aunt Sophy._ Yes, this instant!

_Jane._ Oh, oh! Don't do that! It's not locked! ...

It may be interesting to compare the scenario of _A Doll's House_ from which Ibsen wrote his first draft with his original notes. Here is perfect ill.u.s.tration of the difference between sketchy notes which mean much to the writer and a scenario which at least broadly will convey to a reader the artistic and ethical purposes in the play the dramatist means to write.

NOTES FOR THE MODERN TRAGEDY

_Rome_, 19. 10, 78.

There are two kinds of spiritual law, two kinds of conscience, one in man and another, altogether different, in woman. They do not understand each other; but in practical life the woman is judged by man's law, as though she were not a woman but a man.

The wife in the play ends by having no idea of what is right or wrong; natural feeling on the one hand and belief in authority on the other have altogether bewildered her.

A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view.

She has committed forgery, and she is proud of it; for she did it out of love for her husband, to save his life. But this husband, with his commonplace principles of honour is on the side of the law and regards the question with masculine eyes.

Spiritual conflicts. Oppressed and bewildered by the belief in authority, she loses faith in her moral right and ability to bring up her children. Bitterness. A mother in modern society, like certain insects who go away and die when she has done her duty in the propagation of the race.[12] Love of life, of home, of husband and children and family. Here and there a womanly shaking-off of her thoughts. Sudden return of anxiety and terror. She must bear it all alone. The catastrophe approaches, inexorably, inevitably. Despair, conflict, and destruction.

(Krogstad has acted dishonourably and thereby become well-to-do; now his prosperity does not help him, he cannot recover his honour.)[13]

_Persons_

_Stenborg, a Government clerk.

Nora, his wife.

Miss (Mrs.) Linde (a widow).

Attorney Krogstad.

Karen, nurse at the Stenborgs'.

A Parlour-Maid at the Stenborgs'.

A Porter.

The Stenborgs' three little children.

Doctor Hank._

SCENARIO. FIRST ACT

_A room comfortably, but not showily, furnished. In the back, on the right, a door leads to the hall; on the left another door leads to the room or office of the master of the house, which can be seen when the door is opened. A fire in the stove. Winter day._

_She enters from the back, humming gaily; she is in outdoor dress and carries several parcels, has been shopping. As she opens the door, a Porter is seen in the hall, carrying a Christmas-tree. She: Put it down there for the present. (Taking out her purse.) How much? Porter: Fifty ore. She: Here is a crown. No, keep the change. The Porter thanks her and goes. She continues humming and smiling with quiet glee as she opens several of the parcels she has brought. Calls off, is he at home? Yes! At first, conversation through the closed door; then he opens it and goes on talking to her while continuing to work most of the time, standing at his desk. There is a ring at the hall-door; he does not want to be disturbed; shuts himself in. The maid opens the door to her mistress's friend, just arrived in town. Happy surprise. Mutual explanation of the position of affairs. He has received the post of manager in the new joint-stock bank and is to enter on his duties at the New Year; all financial worries are at an end. The friend has come to town to look for some small employment in an office or whatever may present itself. Mrs. Stenborg gives her good hopes, is certain that all will turn out well. The maid opens the front door to the debt-collector. Mrs. Stenborg, terrified; they exchange a few words; he is shown into the office. Mrs. Stenborg and her friend; the circ.u.mstances of the debt-collector are touched upon.

Stenborg enters in his overcoat; has sent the collector out the other way. Conversation about the friend's affairs; hesitation on his part.

He and the friend go out; his wife follows them into the hall; the Nurse enters with the children. Mother and children play. The collector enters. Mrs. Stenborg sends the children out to the left.

Great scene between her and him. He goes. Stenborg enters; has met him on the stairs; displeased; wants to know what he came back for? Her support? No intrigues. His wife cautiously tries to pump him. Strict legal answers. Exit to his room. She (repeating her words when the collector went out): But that's impossible. Why, I did it from love!_

SCENARIO. SECOND ACT

_The last day of the year. Midday. Nora and the old Nurse. Nora, impelled by uneasiness, is putting on her things to go out. Anxious random questions of one kind and another give a hint that thoughts of death are in her mind. Tries to banish these thoughts, to turn it off, hopes that something or other may intervene. But what? The Nurse goes off to the left.--Stenborg enters from his room. Short dialogue between him and Nora.--The Nurse re-enters, looking for Nora; the youngest child is crying. Annoyance and questioning on Stenborg's part; exit the Nurse; Stenborg is going in to the children.--Doctor Hank enters. Scene between him and Stenborg.--Nora soon re-enters; she has turned back; anxiety has driven her home again. Scene between her, the Doctor and Stenborg. Stenborg goes into his room.--Scene between Nora and the Doctor. The Doctor goes out.--Nora alone.--Mrs. Linde enters. Short scene between her and Nora.--Krogstad enters. Short scene between him and Mrs. Linde and Nora. Mrs. Linde goes in to the children.--Scene between Krogstad and Nora.--She entreats and implores him for the sake of her little children; in vain. Krogstad goes out.

The letter is seen to fall from outside into the letter-box.--Mrs.

Linde re-enters after a short pause. Scene between her and Nora. Half confession. Mrs. Linde goes out.--Nora alone.--Stenborg enters. Scene between him and Nora. He wants to empty the letter-box. Entreaties, jests, half playful persuasion. He promises to let business wait till after New Year's Day; but at 12 o'clock midnight--! Exit. Nora alone.

Nora (looking at the clock): It is five o'clock. Five;--seven hours till midnight. Twenty-four hours till the next midnight. Twenty-four and seven--thirty-one. Thirty-one hours to live.--_

THIRD ACT

_A m.u.f.fled sound of dance music is heard from the floor above. A lighted lamp on the table. Mrs. Linde sits in an armchair and absently turns the pages of a book, tries to read, but seems unable to fix her attention; once or twice she looks at her watch. Nora comes down from the dance; uneasiness has driven her; surprise at finding Mrs. Linde, who pretends that she wanted to see Nora in her costume. Helmer, displeased at her going away, comes to fetch her back. The Doctor also enters, but to say good-bye. Meanwhile Mrs. Linde has gone into the side room on the right. Scene between the Doctor, Helmer, and Nora. He is going to bed, he says, never to get up again; they are not to come and see him; there is ugliness about a death-bed. He goes out. Helmer goes upstairs again with Nora, after the latter has exchanged a few words of farewell with Mrs. Linde. Mrs. Linde alone. Then Krogstad.

Scene and explanation between them. Both go out. Nora and the children. Then she alone. Then Helmer. He takes the letters out of the letter-box. Short scene; goodnight; he goes into his room. Nora in despair prepares for the final step; is already at the door when Helmer enters with the open letter in his hand. Great scene. A ring.

Letter to Nora from Krogstad. Final scene. Divorce. Nora leaves the house._[14]

Finally, here is the full scenario of a play which made a great success both in England and the United States and was seen by practically all the Continental countries, namely, _Kismet_. Notice how well it fulfils the requirements for a good scenario stated in this chapter, not because Mr. k.n.o.bloch had these rules in mind as he composed it, but because, as a trained dramatist, he instinctively gave these qualities to his scenario. Carefully studied in relation to the essentials of scenario writing just stated, it should remove all doubt in the mind of a student as to what a good scenario is and why it is an essential preliminary to a good play.

KISMET

_or_

HAJJI'S DAY

_Scenario for a play in three acts, by_

EDWARD k.n.o.bLOCH[15]

CHARACTERS

(_in order of their appearance_)