Wise Women Discuss—Plot!

The 36 Tragic Situations

Though women have been starved of creative opportunities over the centuries of patriarchal bullying, they have proved in one important field that they are not creatively inferior to men—in writing. Adelphiasophists are keen that all people should be creative and that their efforts should be appreciated. If you have been intending to start that novel or screenplay but felt short of ideas, here is the Wise Women's synopsis of plot to give you a few ideas. May the Goddess inspire you. Saviour Shirlie.

24. Adultery

Combines action from outside (theft) with action from inside (treason). In one aspect the adulterer is portrayed as more agreeable, handsome, loving, bolder or stronger than the deceived husband. Against his theft of the object is put the breach of the word of honor, the vow, of the object to remain with the husband. Another aspect makes the adulterer less attractive than the deceived one. This fails because he, the husband, he, the adulterer and she the object all fall in our respect. In another aspect the deceived party is avenged, but in so being the plot becomes an example of Crime Pursued by Vengeance.

Elements

1. The adulterers
2. A deceived husband or wife

Themes

1. A mistress betrayed
• for a young woman
• For a young wife
• For a girl
2. A wife betrayed
• For a slave who does not love in return
• For debauchery
• For a married woman
• With the intention of bigamy
• For a young girl who does not love in return Henry VIII, Shakespeare
• A wife envied by a young girl who is in love with her husband
• By a courtesan
• Rivalry between a lawful wife who is antipathetic and a mistress who is congenial
• Rivalry between a generous wife and an impassioned girl
3. A husband betrayed
• An antagonistic husband sacrificed for a congenial lover
• A husband believed to be lost, forgotten for a rival
• A commonplace husband sacrificed for a sympathetic lover
• A good husband sacrificed for
• ...an inferior rival
• ...a grotesque rival
• ...an odious rival
• ...a commonplace rival by a perverse wife
• ...a less handsome rival but useful
4. Vengeance
• Vengeance of a deceived husband
• Jealousy sacrificed for the sake of a cause
5. A husband persecuted by a rejected rival
6. Murderous adultery
• Without the murder perhaps adultery is a little ordinary, though it can be examined in social and psychological light. The plot can be extended in many ways: the betrayed person may be more or less powerful, more or less sympathetic than the murderer. The unawareness of the betrayed may be total, or partly or fully revealed at some stage, by chance, by a warning or by some folly of word or deed on the part of the adulterers. Between the betrayed and the intruder there may have been ties of affection, of duty, of gratitude, etc to one or other of them. They may have common work, or responsibilities or be related. The betrayed could be the object of some unresolved grudge or rancor on the part of one or other of the adulterers. The source of this could be anything that can wound someone: loves, ideals, pride of birth, name or achievements; money, property, power, freedom. One of the adulterers might be an instrument only of the other, and might later be rejected. The blow might be struck by either or by a third party, perhaps by deception, by love of one of the betrayers, by blackmail, etc.
  Other characters can be involved depending on the means employed, the obstacles, the secondary victims, the accomplices. The means can be divined from any of those that have emerged in court and a few new ones.
  The plot can be complicated by interweaving the rivalry of kinsmen, unnatural love, an ambitious purpose, a conspiracy, etc.
7. The slaying of a husband by or for a paramour
8. The slaying of a trusting lover
9. The slaying of a wife for a paramour, and in self-interest