Remorse

Disciplines > Storytelling > Plots > Polti's Situations > Remorse

Description | Discussion | See also

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Description

Elements

• The Culprit

• The Victim or Sin

• The Interrogator

Summary

The Culprit has done wrong to a Victim or committed another Sin. The Interrogator gets an admission of guilt.

Variants

A

1. Remorse for an unknown crime
2. Remorse for a parricide
3. Remorse for an assassination
4. Remorse for the murder of husband or wife

B

1. Remorse for a fault of love
2. Remorse for an adultery

Discussion

When we have done something that we believe to be wrong, then we feel a sense of guilt and remorse. The remorse can come when we realize after having committed the sin that it was wrong. We may also know that it is wrong when we do it, but are not struck by remorse until we reflect upon what we have done.

Remorse is caused when we compare our actions with our values, resulting in the confusion of cognitive dissonance and subsequent regret. In watching stories about regret we rail at the wrong-doing but sympathize with the remorse. We may thus cast ourselves as judge or priest as we grant absolution for the earlier crime.

'Remorse' is the 34th of Georges Polti's 36 Dramatic Situations.

See also

Guilt, Erroneous judgment