Motivations

Definition

Motivations refer to the internal drives or reasons that compel a character to act in a certain way. They are essential for understanding a character's behavior, choices, and interactions within a narrative. In the realm of psychological realism, motivations are often deeply rooted in a character's background, experiences, and emotions, making them crucial for creating believable and relatable performances on stage.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Motivations are typically categorized into basic needs (like survival) and complex desires (such as love or revenge), which shape character actions.
2. Stanislavski emphasized that actors must identify their character's motivations to create authentic performances that resonate with audiences.
3. In psychological realism, motivations often reflect real-life psychological complexities, making characters more relatable and believable.
4. Understanding a character's motivations can help actors connect emotionally with their roles, leading to more powerful performances.
5. Motivations can change over time, reflecting the character's development and responses to challenges they encounter within the story.

Review Questions

• How do motivations influence character actions in psychological realism?
  • In psychological realism, motivations serve as the driving force behind a character's actions. They provide insight into why characters make specific choices or behave in certain ways, allowing audiences to connect with them on an emotional level. By understanding a character's motivations, actors can portray their roles more authentically, making the performance relatable and impactful.
• What role do objectives play in shaping a character's motivations and overall narrative arc?
  • Objectives are closely linked to motivations as they represent the specific goals that characters strive to achieve. A character's motivation fuels their pursuit of these objectives, which can lead to significant development throughout the story. As characters encounter obstacles while trying to achieve their objectives, their motivations may evolve, resulting in a rich and dynamic narrative arc that highlights their growth and transformation.
• Evaluate the importance of subtext in revealing a character's motivations within psychological realism.
  • Subtext is critical in psychological realism as it allows for a deeper exploration of a character's motivations beyond what is explicitly stated. It reveals the hidden thoughts and feelings that influence how characters interact with each other and respond to various situations. By analyzing subtext, actors can uncover layers of complexity in their roles, leading to nuanced performances that reflect the intricacies of human behavior and relationships.

Related terms

Objectives:

Objectives are specific goals that characters aim to achieve in a scene, often driving their actions and decisions.

Subtext:

Subtext refers to the underlying thoughts and feelings that are not explicitly stated but influence how characters communicate and interact.

Character Arc: A character arc is the transformation or growth a character undergoes throughout a story, often influenced by their motivations and the challenges they face.