action

Definition 
The sequence of events in a novel or play. Aristotle's definition of tragedy as "an imitation of an action" underscores his contention that action rather than character is the central element in a tragic play. What he seems to emphasize is not simply what the characters do but also what underlies their specific acts. The tragic action, for example, appears to be a threefold movement, characterized by the critic Kenneth Burke as the "purpose, passion and perception" of the tragic protagonist: the tragic hero begins with a specific purpose, undergoes a trial by suffering (passion), and emerges with a fuller, although tragic, sense of his own identity (perception). The idea of speech as a form of action is a major principle of speech act theory.