If you've been following this series of posts on premise, I hope you're starting to get a sense of why it's important to add this tool to your toolbox. Here's yet another consideration.
There are basically two kinds of workable dramatic premises. The first conveys a lesson by showing the negative consequences of a certain mode of behavior or action. It leaves the audience wiser about what not to do if they want to avoid the central character's fate: ruthless ambition leads to destruction, jealousy leads to ruin, suspicion leads to disaster, chasing after worldly success leads to disillusionment. A good number of classic plays and films contain this type of premise. The best of them are enormously powerful and have the potential to affect audiences profoundly.
