Trilogy

A trilogy is a set of three works of art, usually literature or film, that develop a single theme even though they are generally created at different times. They may tell an extended story, such as Isaac Asimov's original Foundation series; or involve the same characters or the same setting, as in the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson; or have only the most tenuous of connections, as in the surreal Nova trilogy novels of William S. Burroughs.

Related Topics:
Isaac Asimov - Kim Stanley Robinson - William S. Burroughs

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It is not uncommon for longer series to be created, such as The Alexandria Quartet novels by Lawrence Durrell or the open-ended series of James Bond movies. But the trilogy is the classic case of such extended series, perhaps reflecting a basic connection between human nature and the number three, or perhaps merely reflecting the difficulty of creating lots of variations of one theme.

Related Topics:
The Alexandria Quartet - Lawrence Durrell - James Bond

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In the Athens of Ancient Greece it was customary to exhibit on the same occasion three serious dramas, or a trilogy, at first connected by a subject, but afterward unconnected, and on distinct subjects, a fourth or satyric drama being also added, the characters of which were satyrs. Shakespeare's "Henry VI" may be called a trilogy.

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Ideally, each work in a trilogy stands by itself, with the trilogy adding to the overall experience. However, a trilogy is sometimes just a larger work divided into three, so that the single members are not in themselves fully satisfying. Trilogies may arrive at three works for other reasons; for instance the original Foundation series was originally eight short stories and novelettes, and the division into books can be considered more or less accidental.

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Certain trios of works are often considered a trilogy even if they're part of a greater series or saga. For example, although the Star Wars film series is comprised of six episodes, episodes ', ', and ' are considered one trilogy (the "prequel trilogy"), while episodes ', ', and ' are considered another (the "original trilogy"). The video games Metal Gear Solid, ', and ' are considered a trilogy, despite being preceded by Metal Gear and ' and followed by Metal Gear Solid 4. The video games Grand Theft Auto III, ' and ' are also considered a trilogy (the "Grand Theft Auto III Trilogy") despite being preceded by Grand Theft Auto and GTA 2 and followed by '.

Related Topics:
Star Wars - Film - Video games - Metal Gear Solid - Metal Gear - Metal Gear Solid 4 - Grand Theft Auto III - Grand Theft Auto - GTA 2

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Creators of trilogies may later extend the series by adding more works, and whether the original three works continue to be considered a trilogy varies. Asimov's Foundation series was comprised of three books for many decades, but was enlarged in the author's later life, and the original three books are often considered a trilogy. The first three novels in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series were dubbed a trilogy, but after the series extended to a total of five novels, author Douglas Adams, for humorous effect, continued to dub the series a trilogy for the rest of his life. Similarly, the afterwords of Piers Anthony's Xanth books jokingly refer to those books as being 2 trilogies (both now rather overgrown).

Related Topics:
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams - Piers Anthony - Xanth

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Other times, a trio of works ceases to be known as a trilogy if additional works or sequels are added. The films Batman, Batman Returns, and Batman Forever were released on home video as the "Batman Trilogy", but after the release of Batman and Robin, the series became known as the "Batman Legacy". Similarly, the films Alien, Aliens, and Alien 3 were referred to as the "Alien Trilogy" until the release of Alien Resurrection, after which it came to be known as the "Alien Quadrilogy".

Related Topics:
Batman - Batman Returns - Batman Forever - Batman and Robin - Alien - Aliens - Alien 3 - Alien Resurrection

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Sometimes a trio of works is known as a trilogy not in regards to the series continuity, but rather to the creator (author, director, etc). If a person creates three unrelated works, they may come to be known as "the trilogy". For example, before Quentin Tarantino's fourth film (Kill Bill) was released, his previous three films (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown) were sometimes referred to as "the Quentin Tarantino trilogy". Also, three works with similar themes from a creator may come to be known as a trilogy, especially if produced one after the other. The Steven Spielberg films ', Minority Report, and Catch Me If You Can are unoffcially known as "the running man trilogy".

Related Topics:
Continuity - Quentin Tarantino - Kill Bill - Reservoir Dogs - Pulp Fiction - Jackie Brown - Steven Spielberg - Minority Report - Catch Me If You Can

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Trilogies differ from a triptych, which is a set of three related or connected paintings that are created at one time and designed to be viewed as a single work.

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