CONTENTS BOOK I PROLOGUE I INTRODUCTORY 3 II THE CHOICE OF A THEME 16 III DRAMATIC AND UNDRAMATIC 28 IV THE ROUTINE OF COMPOSITION 53 V DRAMATIS PERSONÆ 74 BOOK II THE BEGINNING VI THE POINT OF ATTACK: SHAKESPEARE AND IBSEN 85 VII EXPOSITION: ITS END AND ITS MEANS 111 VIII THE FIRST ACT 131 IX "CURIOSITY" AND "INTEREST" 156 X FORESHADOWING, NOT FORESTALLING 175 BOOK III THE MIDDLE XI TENSION AND ITS SUSPENSION 189 XII PREPARATION: THE FINGER-POST 201 XIII THE OBLIGATORY SCENE 225 XIV THE PERIPETY 260 XV PROBABILITY, CHANCE, AND COINCIDENCE 275 XVI LOGIC 296 XVII KEEPING A SECRET 305