Note 142 — III DRAMATIC THEORY XIII THE THEORY OF THE DRAMATIC ART

The Act or Isolated Act (An̄ka, Utsṛṣṭikān̄ka)142 is a single-act piece, whose longer style serves to discriminate it from an act of a normal drama. Its subject is taken from legend, but may be developed by the poet; the first and last junctures alone are permitted. The hero should be human, of the common folk, according to the later theory. The sentiment should be the pathetic, and the style the verbal. The laments of women should accompany the description of battles and fights, but these should not take place on the stage. Viçvanātha gives the Çarmiṣṭhāyayāti as an example, but the type is not represented by any early play.