Character Analysis

ways to discover character

  1. Descriptions in stage directions
  2. Description by other characters
  3. Character's description of himself (includes soliloquies and asides)
  4. Actions and activities of the character
  5. Character's relationship to the environment
  6. Aspect of yourself that are seen in the character
  7. Other people you know or observe who are most like your character

internal attributes

  1. The past of the character and essential happenings in the past - character biography
  2. Inner circumstances that motivate the character to action - in general and in specific situations in the play
  3. Major emotional key
  4. Emotional range and emotions must frequently aroused in his or her
  5. Strength or weakness of emotional release and characteristic mode of expression

external attributes

  1. Age
  2. Nationality
  3. Urban, suburban, rural
  4. Sexual characteristics
  5. Profession or occupation
  6. Physical shape, size, muscular condition, and notable physical trait.
  7. psychological gesture, or characteristic posture of the character - alignment or misalignment
  8. Nature of the character's contact with the ground
  9. Body center of the character
  10. Characteristic facial expression
  11. Character image (whole play and individual beat): animals, plants, objects, concepts, essences
  12. Musical instruments and type or piece of music the character is most like

behavior

  1. Aggressive or passive ratio of character
  2. Effort pattern of character: movement pattern. of grace (wide or narrow, direct or indirect, flexible or inflexible, weight (heavy or light), time (fast or slow)) for the character in generate and at each moment in the play
  3. Principal physical mannerisms, typical gestures, and habitual actions
  4. Habitual use of objects and types of objects character uses
  5. Vocal color used in general and in specific situation.: quality rate, pitch, intensity
  6. Speech patterns of articulation, diction. accent, and -frequently occurring expressions
  7. Rhythm of voice and movement

pelationships

  1. Relationships of character to each of the other characters in the play
  2. Relationship of character to locale and objects in environment
  3. Relationship to community to which the play is set

attitudes, opinions and ideas

  1. Attitude toward external circumstances (outer world)
  2. Attitude of the character toward each of the other characters
  3. Character's feelings and attitudes about the principal events of the play
  4. Aims, values, philosophical, social, religious ethical and moral views of the character and changes that occur in these
  5. Dreams and inner desires of the character
  6. Intelligence level and habits and process of mental activity: will, conceptualization, imagination
  7. Extent of education and subjects preferred or rejected
  8. Use of psychological defense mechanisms
  9. Favorite foods music, exercise9 relaxation
  10. Contradictions in character's nature, between what he says and what he does between what he believes and what he says, between the values or aims he holds and what he does
  11. Central flaw or misunderstanding that influences the destiny of the character

personalization and presentation

  1. Your point of reference toward your character
  2. Point of view you wish audience to take toward your character
  3. Ways in which you relate yourself to your character: your past experiences that enable you to personally understand character
  4. Tell the plot in your own terms - what happens to your character from your point of view and in relation to your personal life experience