THE PRESENTATION OF SELF IN EVERYDAY LIFE

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What follows, I share in the spirit of reflection on a subject that is dear to all who work to present dramatic works. I believe the information below might be useful to writers, directors, producers, and certainly actors. Goffman made his mark by introducing a dramatic performance perspective into the field of sociology. Yet, seldom have I seen his work and insights embraced by dramatic artists. Goffman's work came to my attention again, during my studies at The Pacifica Graduate Institute.

And so, here's a pebble in the pond . . .

In his landmark study of human behavior, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (Amazon), Sociologist Erving Goffman uses the metaphor of theatrical performance to show how human interactions are driven by our need to control our appearances’ to others.

From his preface:

The perspective employed in this report is that of the theatrical performance; the principles derived are dramaturgical ones. I shall consider the way in which the individual in ordinary work situations presents himself and his activity to others, the ways in which he guides and controls the impression they form of him and the kinds of things he may and may not do while sustaining his performance before them. In this model I will attempt not to make light of the obvious inadequacies. This stage presents things that are make believe; presumably life presents things that are real and sometimes not well rehearsed. More important, perhaps, on the stage one player presents himself in the guise of character to characters projected by other players; the audience constitutes a third-party to the interaction-one that is essential and yet, if the stage performance were real, one that would not be there. In life, the three parties are compressed into two; the part one individual plays is tailored to the parts played by the others present, and yet these others also constitute the audience.

Related: Dramaturgy (sociology), Impression Management, On The Evolution Of The Craft Of Acting. The Persona,

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

INSIGHTS FOR ACTORS AND DIRECTORS

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Introduction

"As You Like It" by William Shakespeare

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. - Jaques (Act II, Scene VII)

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."