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EDITOR'S NOTE
This classic article published in 1968 in Transactional Analysis Bulletin introduced readers, through the use of popular fairytales, to what is now known as the Karpman Triangle. The article presents an introduction to role and drama analysis, and a useful model of archetypical role switching dynamics of Persecutor, Rescuer and Victim that can often play out between people in conflicted situations. These roles, and how they play out amongst individuals in group conflicts, can provide a helpful insight for facilitators into a stuck culture and unhelpful dynamics. Once the drama triangle can be seen as it is, the key to unlocking the game is to no longer play. - Stephen Thorpe, Editor
Fairy tales help inculcate the norms of society into young minds consciously, but subconsciously may provide an attractive stereotyped number of roles, locations, and timetables for an errant life script. To date, the scientific structural analysis of scripts has been based on the Script Matrix (See Steiner, 1966). In this paper I will present some diagrams for drama analysis of the script, using familiar examples from well known fairy tales.
Drama can be analyzed as switches in role and location on a time continuum. The intensity of the drama is influenced by the number of switches in a time period (Script Velocity) and the contrast between the positions switched (Script Range). Low velocity or range is boredom. The time for each switch varies independently, from surprise through suspense.
1. ROLE DIAGRAM. As ego state analysis is part of structural and transactional analysis, role analysis is part of game and script analysis, in defining the identities involved in the action. The slogan-identity on a man's "sweatshirt" usually represents the slogan of his script role. With this slogan it can be ascertained, often with a direct question, what role he is playing in life.
A person "living in a fairy tale" usually has a simplified view of the world with a minimum of dramatic characters. The role diagram provides a means of fixing this set number of key identities visually in therapy. When a person knows his "favorite fairy tale" the key roles can be listed in a circle and from there the life roles can be fit. Less often this is...