Understanding the seven essential character elements of function, purpose, objective, motivation, status, qualities, and traits is necessary to craft compelling and authentic characters in performance. These elements serve as building blocks of character development, each contributing to how a character is perceived and how they drive the plot forward.
The function and purpose of a character define their role within the story and the thematic messages they embody. When an actor fully understands their character’s objective and motivation, it provides insight into their desires and the reasons behind their actions, which adds depth to the plot and elicits emotional investment from the audience. A character’s status influences their interactions and relationships within the story, while their qualities and traits reveal a character’s inherent attributes.
Below is a detailed explanation of these seven elements actors use in character development, accompanied by supporting examples.
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1. Function
Function refers to a character’s narrative role within the story or play structure. It is about the character’s purpose in the plot and how they influence the storyline and the audience’s experience.
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Understanding a character’s function helps recognise their purpose in the narrative’s structure and rhythm. It sheds light on:
2. Purpose
Purpose reflects the thematic or symbolic reason for a character’s inclusion in the story. It often ties into more significant messages, social critiques, or philosophical ideas the playwright wishes to convey.
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Exploring a character’s purpose allows us to delve into:
3. Objective
Objective refers to the character’s specific, tangible goal or desire in a particular scene or throughout the narrative.
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Objectives provide:
4. Motivation
Motivation is the character element that encompasses the underlying reasons driving behaviour and decisions—the “why” behind their actions and desires.
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Understanding motivation helps in:
5. Status
Status describes a character’s social standing, power dynamics, or relative position within the world of the story.
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Status influences:
6. Qualities
Qualities are inherent attributes that define a character’s deeper essence, often relating to their moral or ethical nature. Qualities are internal.
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Qualities help in:
7. Traits
Traits are observable character elements – personality markers or habitual behaviours that influence a character’s interactions and responses. Traits are external.
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Traits contribute to:
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Really look forward to using this!
Awesome!
Excellent resource for VCE Theatre Studies, but also very informative for anyone learning how to analyse and develop characters. Thankyou!!