Act

Act, in the Drama, is a distinct section of a play, in which a definite and coherent part of the plot is represented. It is generally subdivided into smaller portions called scenes, and its conclusion is properly marked by a fall of the act-drop or curtain. As every dramatic plot naturally divides itself into three parts—the exposition, the development, and the conclusion or catastrophe—a division into three acts would seem most natural, and has accordingly been adopted in modern comedies. But it has been found inconvenient to inclose extended plots in such limits, and since the earliest days of tragedy, five acts have generally been considered necessary for its satisfactory development.