A Filmmaker's Guide to: Structuralism

In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

Structuralism

What is it?

A theory in which we must concentrate on the way in which humans portray their intentions and motivations through language, action and basically everything in the way they hold themselves. This then fits into a wider structure, hence the term 'structuralism'. It is about how humans, whatever they do and say, fit themselves into a wider structure.

It is a linguistic theory which primarily focuses on language of both speech and the body. But, in film we can explore this as well.

In literature, structuralism has constantly been analysed. Structuralism often analyses various systems that point towards a resolution of a piece of literature through action or speech.

For example: A widely known work that has a structuralist criticism imposed upon it over the years is "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare.

The + and the - instead of standing for add and take-away actually mean positive and negative.

First of all, we have the two who are in love: Romeo and Juliet. The structuralist would write it as this:

Boy + Girl

This is the first 'problem' or 'dilemma' in the narrative as it serves as part of the main plot line.

Then, we have the families who absolutely hate each other. This would be written like this:

Boy's Family - Girl's Family

This shows another narrative problem that serves as part of the main plot line.

So, this narrative shows us that the + plot cannot exist whilst the - plot is still around. And, through looking historically at Shakespeare's time, life in heaven and hell after death was a common belief. So, the only way in which this can be solved in the five-act structure is for both of them to die.

Why? Not because it ends the play, but it turns the negative into a positive as the families now like each other, and the positive remains a positive because of the historical and religious context of life in heaven after death.

What about in film?

Yes, it is difficult to structurally look at a film. Yes, I know it can be slightly confusing at times. But I have a solution to make this easier for you. Watch a film adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" and apply what we have discussed in in the previous section. Then you can proceed to watch the following films:

1. Synecdoche, New York
2. Dr. Zhivago
3. The Third Man
4. The Crucible
5. The Lighthouse
6. Macbeth
7. Fight Club
8. Pretty Woman

Let us now have a look at some further reading that you can do on structuralism and I hope this reading is easier and clears it up a bit. Some of these I read when I was first starting my degree because this was one of those theories I was confused about but, slowly with practice, I cleared it up.

Further Reading:

Belsey, C (2002). Poststructuralism: A Very Short Introduction: 73 (Very Short Introductions). UK: Oxford University Press.

Palmer, D (2007). Structuralism And Poststructuralism For Beginners. 2nd ed. USA: For Beginners

Scholes, R (2009). Structuralism in Literature: An Introduction. 2nd ed. USA: Yale University Press, New Haven & London.