How many plots did JRRT use?
Sep. 25th, 2008 02:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreamflowerAccording to some people, there are only 36 plots for stories in the world, and every story is a variation on one of these. I thought it would be fun to see how many of these plots JRRT used in his stories. I just thought of whatever appropriate thing popped into my head right away. There were only 6 I could not immediately think of his using. Anyway, I’ll put my answer to the first one down, but I’ll leave the rest blank if anyone’s interested in figuring out how he used the others. For some of them there were multiple answers. And some of you may be able to figure out answers for the ones I couldn't figure out!
1. Supplication
The dynamic elements technically necessary are: a Persecutor; a Supplicant; and a Power in authority, whose decision is doubtful.
This one was fairly quickly answered: The story of Eärendil
2. Deliverance
Elements: an Unfortunate, a Threatener, a Rescuer.
3. Crime Pursued by Vengeance
Elements: an Avenger and a Criminal
4. Vengeance Taken for Kindred Upon Kindred
Elements: Avenging Kinsman; Guilty Kinsman; Remembrance of the Victim, a Relative of Both
5. Pursuit
Elements: Punishment and Fugitive
6 Disaster
Elements: a Vanquished Power; a Victorious Enemy or a Messenger
7. Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune
Elements: an Unfortunate; a Master or a Misfortune
8. Revolt
Elements: Tyrant and Conspirator
9. Daring Enterprise
Elements: a Bold Leader; an Object; an Adversary
10. Abduction
Elements: the Abductor; the Abducted; the Guardian
11. The Enigma
Elements: Interrogator, Seeker and Problem
12. Obtaining
Elements: a Solicitor and an Adversary Who is Refusing, or an Arbitrator and Opposing Parties
13. Enmity of Kinsmen
Elements: a Malevolent Kinsman; a Hatred or Reciprocally Hating Kinsman
14. Rivalry of Kinsmen
Elements: the Preferred Kinsman; the Rejected Kinsman; the Object
15. Murderous Adultery
Elements: Two Adulterers; a Betrayed Husband or Wife
16. Madness
Elements: Madman and Victim
17. Fatal Imprudence
Elements: The Imprudent; the Victim or the Object Lost
18. Involuntary Crimes of Love
Elements: the Lover, the Beloved; the Revealer
19. Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognised
Elements: the Slayer, the Unrecognized Victim
20. Self-Sacrifice for an Ideal
Elements: the Hero; the Ideal; the 'Creditor' or the Person or Thing Sacrificed
21. Self-Sacrifice for Kindred
Elements: the Hero; the Kinsman; the 'Creditor' or the Person or Thing Sacrificed
22. All Sacrificed for Passion
Elements: the Lover, the Object of the Fatal Passion; the Person or Thing Sacrificed
23. Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones
Elements: the Hero; the Beloved Victim; the Necessity for the Sacrifice
24. Rivalry of Superior and Inferior
Elements: the Superior Rival; the Inferior Rival; the Object
25. Adultery
Elements: a Deceived Husband or Wife; Two Adulterers
26. Crimes of Love
Elements: The Lover, the Beloved
27. Discovery of the Dishonour of a Loved One
Elements: the Discoverer; the Guilty One
28. Obstacles to Love
Elements: Two Lovers, an Obstacle
29. An Enemy Loved
Elements: The Beloved Enemy; the Lover; the Hater
30. Ambition
Elements: an Ambitious Person; a Thing Coveted; an Adversary
31. Conflict With a God
Elements: a Mortal, an Immortal
32. Mistaken Jealousy
Elements: the Jealous One; the Object of Whose Possession He is Jealous; the Supposed Accomplice; the Cause or the Author of the Mistake
33. Erroneous Judgement
Elements: The Mistaken One; the Victim of the Mistake; the Cause or Author of the Mistake; the Guilty Person
34. Remorse
Elements: the Culprit; the Victim or the Sin; the Interrogator
35. Recovery of a Lost One
Elements: The Seeker; the One Found
36. Loss of Loved Ones
A Kinsman Slain; a Kinsman Spectator; an Executioner
At any rate, I thought it might make an interesting discussion.
1. Supplication
The dynamic elements technically necessary are: a Persecutor; a Supplicant; and a Power in authority, whose decision is doubtful.
This one was fairly quickly answered: The story of Eärendil
2. Deliverance
Elements: an Unfortunate, a Threatener, a Rescuer.
3. Crime Pursued by Vengeance
Elements: an Avenger and a Criminal
4. Vengeance Taken for Kindred Upon Kindred
Elements: Avenging Kinsman; Guilty Kinsman; Remembrance of the Victim, a Relative of Both
5. Pursuit
Elements: Punishment and Fugitive
6 Disaster
Elements: a Vanquished Power; a Victorious Enemy or a Messenger
7. Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune
Elements: an Unfortunate; a Master or a Misfortune
8. Revolt
Elements: Tyrant and Conspirator
9. Daring Enterprise
Elements: a Bold Leader; an Object; an Adversary
10. Abduction
Elements: the Abductor; the Abducted; the Guardian
11. The Enigma
Elements: Interrogator, Seeker and Problem
12. Obtaining
Elements: a Solicitor and an Adversary Who is Refusing, or an Arbitrator and Opposing Parties
13. Enmity of Kinsmen
Elements: a Malevolent Kinsman; a Hatred or Reciprocally Hating Kinsman
14. Rivalry of Kinsmen
Elements: the Preferred Kinsman; the Rejected Kinsman; the Object
15. Murderous Adultery
Elements: Two Adulterers; a Betrayed Husband or Wife
16. Madness
Elements: Madman and Victim
17. Fatal Imprudence
Elements: The Imprudent; the Victim or the Object Lost
18. Involuntary Crimes of Love
Elements: the Lover, the Beloved; the Revealer
19. Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognised
Elements: the Slayer, the Unrecognized Victim
20. Self-Sacrifice for an Ideal
Elements: the Hero; the Ideal; the 'Creditor' or the Person or Thing Sacrificed
21. Self-Sacrifice for Kindred
Elements: the Hero; the Kinsman; the 'Creditor' or the Person or Thing Sacrificed
22. All Sacrificed for Passion
Elements: the Lover, the Object of the Fatal Passion; the Person or Thing Sacrificed
23. Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones
Elements: the Hero; the Beloved Victim; the Necessity for the Sacrifice
24. Rivalry of Superior and Inferior
Elements: the Superior Rival; the Inferior Rival; the Object
25. Adultery
Elements: a Deceived Husband or Wife; Two Adulterers
26. Crimes of Love
Elements: The Lover, the Beloved
27. Discovery of the Dishonour of a Loved One
Elements: the Discoverer; the Guilty One
28. Obstacles to Love
Elements: Two Lovers, an Obstacle
29. An Enemy Loved
Elements: The Beloved Enemy; the Lover; the Hater
30. Ambition
Elements: an Ambitious Person; a Thing Coveted; an Adversary
31. Conflict With a God
Elements: a Mortal, an Immortal
32. Mistaken Jealousy
Elements: the Jealous One; the Object of Whose Possession He is Jealous; the Supposed Accomplice; the Cause or the Author of the Mistake
33. Erroneous Judgement
Elements: The Mistaken One; the Victim of the Mistake; the Cause or Author of the Mistake; the Guilty Person
34. Remorse
Elements: the Culprit; the Victim or the Sin; the Interrogator
35. Recovery of a Lost One
Elements: The Seeker; the One Found
36. Loss of Loved Ones
A Kinsman Slain; a Kinsman Spectator; an Executioner
At any rate, I thought it might make an interesting discussion.