रत्नावली नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - शास्त्रीय नाटिका रत्न सम्पूर्ण ४ अङ्क सान्वय सटीक)

ii RATNAVALI
natural consequence of the fact that a number of given people
of such and such disposition and impelled by such and such
motives and passions are brought together in circumstances
which give rise to an interplay of influence or clash of interests
among them." "This being so, the evolution of the story in-
evitably reveals their dispositions, motives and passions which
are indeed actual forces behind the event of which the story is
composed" (Hudson). Thus dramatic art is not the imitation of
the persons actually but the imitation of action which qualifies the
characters.
Essential constituents—Drama in order to be successful and good
should have the following elements as its constituents :—

1. Plot.—A well-constituted plot shorn of its unessential and
   engrossing scenes is one of the most important factors in the
   drama. As it is a दृश्यकाव्य and as Aristotle holds that it is intended
   to be of a single hearing, care must be taken to leave out un-
   necessary details and eliminate everything not absolutely essential
   for the purpose of the dramatist in consideration of the limitedness
   of the physical endurance of the spectator. .So the Sanskrit
   dramaturgy says :—
   युक्तो न बहुभिः कार्यैर्बीजसंहतिमान् न च ।
   नानाविधानसंयुक्तो नातिप्रचुरपद्यवान् ।
   आवश्यकानां कार्याणामविरोधाद्विनिर्मितः ॥ सा. द. । (६ परि)
   In order to avoid the practical difficulty of a drama being
   unpopular and uninteresting Arsitotle has given the warning that
   the playwright should not attempt to construct the plot on an
   epic plan which means an episode composed of many other
   incidents and episodes. The Sanskrit drama Mahávíracharita
   by Bhavabhuti can be cited as an instance of a play being
   written on an epic plan. There the whole of the epic Rámáyana