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In
structural semantics
Structural semantics (also structuralist semantics) is a linguistic school and paradigm that emerged in Europe from the 1930s, inspired by the structuralist linguistic movement started by Ferdinand de Saussure's 1916 work "''Cours De Linguisti ...
, the actantial model, also called the actantial narrative schema, is a tool used to analyze the
action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
that takes place in a
story, whether real or fictional.
[Herbert 2006 ''Tools'', Ch.5, ''Origins and function''][Herbert 2006 ''Actantial''] It was developed in 1966 by
semiotician
Semiotics (also called semiotic studies) is the systematic study of sign processes (semiosis) and meaning making. Semiosis is any activity, conduct, or process that involves signs, where a sign is defined as anything that communicates something, ...
Algirdas Julien Greimas
Algirdas Julien Greimas (; born ''Algirdas Julius Greimas''; 9 March 1917 – 27 February 1992) was a Lithuanian literary scientist who wrote most of his body of work in French while living in France. Greimas is known among other things for t ...
.
The model considers an action as divided into six facets, called
actants.
Those actants are a combined framework inspired mainly between
Vladimir Propp's and
Étienne Souriau's actantial theories.
Greimas took the term ''actant'' from linguist
Lucien Tesnière, who coined the term in his discussion of the grammar of
noun phrases
In linguistics, a noun phrase, or nominal (phrase), is a phrase that has a noun or pronoun as its head or performs the same grammatical function as a noun. Noun phrases are very common cross-linguistically, and they may be the most frequently o ...
.
[David Herman, Manfred Jahn, Marie-Laure Ryan (2005]
''Routledge encyclopedia of narrative theory''
p. 574
Basic Summary
Greimas actantial model distinguishes characters and action elements according to their function within the plot.
The model differentiates between
*Subject / Object
*Helper / Opponent
*Sender / Receiver
*Power
The ''subject'' desires a usually abstract ''object''. The ''helper'' supports the ''subject'' in obtaining the ''object''. The ''opponent'', however, works against the ''helper'' and tries to prevent the ''subject'' from gaining the ''object''. The ''sender'' initiates the action and the ''receiver'' profits from the action and/or the ''object''. Whether or not the ''subject'' will acquire the desired ''object'' depends on the abstract ''power'' often connected to the ''subject''. Analysing characters according to the actantial model enables a detailed breakdown of the characters' function within the plot but also creates a simplified character constellation in association with the action.
See also
*
Semiotic square
*
Vladimir Propp
Notes
Sources
*
Greimas, Algirdas Julien. 1973. "Actants, Actors, and Figures." ''On Meaning: Selected Writings in Semiotic Theory.'' Trans. Paul J. Perron and Frank H, Collins. Theory and History of Literature, 38. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 1987. 106–120.
Herbert, Louis(2006) ''Tools for Text and Image Analysis: An Introduction to Applied Semiotics'', online eboook, published by ''Texto !''
*Herbert, Louis (2006)
The Actantial Model', in Louis Hébert (dir.), Signo
nline Rimouski (Quebec), http://www.signosemio.com
Further reading
*Felluga, Dino
Modules on Greimas: On the Semiotic Square'. Introductory Guide to Critical Theory.
*Felluga, Dino.
'. Introductory Guide to Critical Theory.
External links
Semiotics
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