Classification Of Games

2 Pages 532 Words

In this article, The Structure and Classification of Games, the author is taking views from another, Huizinga, and stating how they were first meant and then how he interprets them. These views are that of the characteristics of play. The author, Caillois, deliberates with Huizinga’s definition of play and how he left out certain types of play in his definitions making them insufficient. He then proceeds to give his own definition of play with three attributes; free, separate, regulated. In giving those attributes of play he then suggest a division of the characteristics of play into three headings; agon, alea, and mimicry. Caillois feels that these are the three best represented categories in giving a description on the characteristics of play, he does mention other categories as well they just don’t bear much importance.
The first category agon, “a struggle in which equality of chance is artificially created in order to make sure that the antagonists confront each other under ideal circumstances. This will give a precise and incontestable worth to the victor’s triumph” (Caillois 9). In this statement Caillois is saying that each contestant has one quality to prove their worth in, and in that game they are able to prove that they are the best by beating out their opponent by simply beating them in the one skill that it takes to compete in that specific game, whether it be speed, endurance, or memory. This is when victory is in triumphing over and adversary. He also states that in competing like this one should play without any external help, it is just the player and whatever skills they have. By doing so it makes the contesting rely solely on themselves and gives them the ability to perform in their natural state and purest form and doesn’t let anyone have superiority of another, only in skillfulness. It doesn’t let anything else get in the way of the performance but only their own self.
The second categ...