Freytag's pyramid model is useful for analyzing classical plot structure.
Plot is the sequence of events, linked in a causal relationship, that motivate the action in a story or dramatic work. Aristotle notes in his "Poetics" that successful dramas exhibit a clear beginning, middle, and end -- that stories tend to be organized around a single crucial event, or climax. But the five-part model of plot structure was first articulated by Gustav Freytag, a German dramatist and philologist, in his 1863 book "Technique of the Drama."
Freytag noticed that the plots of most Shakespearean dramas tend to follow a predictable structure of movement toward a narrative climax, then toward resolution. Freytag developed a model for this structure, now referred to as "Freytag's pyramid" or "Freytag's triangle," placing the climax at the top of the pyramid; it has become one of the most commonly used tools for mapping and analyzing narrative structure. It's important to remember, though, that not every story contains all of these elements in equal parts, or even in order.
Exposition
The first stage of Freytag's model is the exposition. This stage of a story contains the background material that the reader or viewer needs to understand the rest of the plot. The reader meets the main characters, learns key pieces of information, and encounters a key conflict or "inciting incident" -- the event that motivates the rest of the story. The exposition is commonly pictured at the left-hand corner of the pyramid model.
Rising Action
The rising action is all of the action that occurs between the exposition and the climax of the story. It often involves the protagonist moving through a series of tasks or choices, a learning process or character development, or a journey. Relationships between characters and events become more complicated, and tension rises as the story moves toward its climax. The rising action is represented on the pyramid model by the upward slope to the left of the peak.
Climax
The climax should be the most exciting part of the story. It is the peak of Freytag's pyramid, although it does not necessarily occur precisely in the middle of the story, as the pyramid model suggests. The protagonist meets his deciding moment, or turning point, at a time of great internal and/or external conflict. If there is a significant antagonist, for instance, the turning point might occur when the protagonist decides to go into battle, while the climax would be the battle itself.
Falling Action
The falling action deals with the immediate consequences of the climax -- the fallout, the cleanup, the movement from a state of high excitement toward a state of resolution. This is not necessarily a happy time; the hero may have to face a permanent change or painful truth. The situation has not yet been resolved, but the period of highest tension and danger is behind the protagonist. On Freytag's pyramid, the falling action is represented by the downward slope to the right of the peak.
Resolution
Not every story wraps up neatly, but if it does, the resolution is where it happens. Secrets are revealed and tension is released. In a classic detective novel, this is the section in which the villain confesses and is taken away to face justice. There may be one last moment of suspense, leading to a release of emotion, or "catharsis," and the protagonist and reader are returned to a state of satisfied calm. On the pyramid diagram, the resolution occurs at the right-hand bottom corner.
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