Department
of English
M.K
Bhavnagar University
Name:
Nagla Drashti P.
Roll
no: 15
Class:
M.A : Sem-1
Paper-3(Literary
Theory & Criticism)
Assignment
Topic: Literary Term-Deus ex Machina
E-mail
address: nagladrashti38@gmail.com
Submitted:
Smt S.B Gardy
Department
of English Maharaja
Krishnakumarsinhji
Bhavnagar
University,Bhavnagar.
Assignment
Topic:Deus ex Machina
Paper
no -3
- Introduction
Deus ex Machina is a Latin word,
its meaning “God from the Machine”. The term has evolved to mean
a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and
abruptly resolved by the inspired and unexpected intervention of some
new event, character, ability or object. Depending on how its done,
it can be intended to allow a story to continue when the writer has
“painted himself into a corner” ans sees no other way out, to
surprise the audience, to bring the tale to a happy ending, or as a
comedic device.
- Simple definition of Deus Ex Machina
A character or thing that
suddenly enters the story in a novel, play, movie etc and solves a
problem that had previously seemed impossible to solve.
Euripides was one of the most
prominent users of Deus Ex Machina. Some scholars believe that he was
the first writer to employ the device in his tragedies. His work is
often met with criticism for the way he structured his plot and for
his underlying ideas.
- First use in ancient time
The term was used in ancient
Greek and Roman drama, where it meant the timely appearance of a god
to unravel and resolve the plot. The Deus Ex Machina was named for
the convention of the God’s appearing in the sky, an effect
achieved by means of a crane (Greek machine). The dramatic device
dates from the 5th
century BC; a god
appears in Sophocles philoctetes and in most of the plays of
Euripides to solve a crisis by divine intervention.
Since ancient times the phrase
has also been applied to an unexpected savior or to improbable event
that brings order out of chaos (e.g., the arrival, in time to avert
tragedy, of the U.S. cavalry in a western films).
- The term used today
The term Deus Ex Machina is
still used today, however, it has taken on a broader meaning. Deus Ex
Machina is now the phrase used to describe any situation where
something unexpected or implausible is brought into the story line to
resolve situations or disentangle a plot the resolution could come
from a new character, device or event. The definition of this phrase
has also been stretched to include any story resolutions that are not
drawn directly or logically from the preceding plot and defy even the
broad concept of suspension of disbelief. The new and broader
definition of Deus Ex Machina helps authors to such modern works to
end their stories with improbable but more acceptable conclusions. A
well-used example of this is the “it was all a dream” or “it
was all in his/her head”.
In ancient theater, it was a god
or goddess that was introduced. Normally , a member of what was
referred to as the Olympian twelve: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter,
Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus.
Euripides used Deus Ex Machina
more frequently than any of the other tragedians, but he also used it
in a different manner. He went beyond utilizing it to solve difficult
plot issues instead, Euripides would use the Deus Ex Machina to
provide divine criticism, approval, disapproval and insight into
mankind and its actions. Euripides brought in the gods and goddesses
also to incorporate.
- Example of Deus Ex Machina in Fairy Tales
- Cinderella’s fairy godmother comes and solves all of her problems by magically creating a dress, coach an servants so that Cinderella can go to the ball.
- Pinnochio’s blue fairy rescues him several times during the course of the story.
- Gandalf seems to return from the dead just when Frodo needs him so that he can survive and continue his journey with the ring.
- In the ancient Greek myth about Jason and Medea, the sun god sends a chariot to take Medea way from her husband and back to her home in Athens.
- Prince charming and his enchanted kiss seems to save the day in Sleeping Beauty.
- In Beauty and the Beast, the beast seems to have died, but Belle’s love saves the day and he returns to life.
- In the Lord of the flies, the boys are suddenly rescued by a passing ship.
- Examples of Deus Ex Machina in literature
- In Euripides’ Medea, Apollo’s chariot comes from the sky to take Medea away of Corinth after she slaughters the King’s family and her own children.
- In William Golding’s novel the lord of the flies, just as the protagonist Ralph is about to be killed by the band of “hunters” at the end of the story, a ship appears from nowhere onto the island, drawn by the smoke produced by the wildfire on the island one of the ship’s officer rescues Ralph. He and the rest of the boys are then taken from the island.
- In Shakespeare’s, as you like it, Hymenaios comes to the mass wedding to sort out the problems of Rosalind’s stay and disguise in the forest of Arden.
- In the Edger Allan Poe story the pit and the pendulum, the unnamed narrator has just been pushed over th edge of the bottomless pit when he reaches up and grabs the arm of the french general who has seized the fortress where the narrator has been imprisoned.
- In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet is sent to England and (unknowingly) to his death after killing Polonius later, it is revealed that while on the boat Hamlet discovered he was to be killed and re-wrote the letter, condemning him (his schoolmates Rosencrontz & Guildenstern are executed instead) afterward, Pirates inexplicably commandeer Hamlet’s boad, spare his life, and send him back to Denmark.
- In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fortinbras arrives at the ending
scene
to take control of Denmark. It can be concluded that Fortinbras’
arrival prevents anarchy throughout Denmark, which would have been a
result of Hamlet’s and Claudius’ scheming. Their actions cause
the entire royal family and potential royal family candidates to
disappear.
- First used in literature:
Aristotal was the
first to use Deus ex machina as a term to describe the technique as a
device to resolve the plot of tragedies.it is generally deemed
undesirable in writing and often implies a lake of creativity on the
part of the author.the reason for this are that it does not pay due
regard to the story’s internal logic and is often so unlikely that
it challenges suspension of disbelief,allowing the author to conclude
the story with an anlikely,though perhapes more palatable, ending.
- Example:
Deus ex machina was also used
by Charls Dickens in Oliver Twist,when in the very peak of
climax,Rose Maylie turns out to be the long-lost sister of Agnes, and
therefore Oliver’s aunt;and she marries her long-time sweetheart
Harry,allowing Oliver to live happily with his saviour,Mr.Brownlow.
- Criticism:
The
deus ex machina device has many criticisms attached to it,mainly
referring to it as inartistic,too convenient,and overly simplistic.on
the other hand,champions of the device say that it opens up
ideological and artistic possibilities.
- Ancient Criticism:
Antiphanes was one of the
device’s earliest critics.Antiphanes believed that the use of the
“Deus ex Machina”was a sign that the playwright was unable to
properly manage the complications of his plot.
When
they don’t know what to say
and
have complately given up on the play
Just
like a finger they lift the machine
and
the spectators are satisfied.
- Modern criticism:
Following Aristotle,Renaissance
critics continued to view the deus ex machina as an inept plot
device,although it continued to be employed by Renaissance
dramatists.
Towards
the end of the 19th
century,Friedrich Nietzsche criticised Euripides for making tragedy
on optimistic genre via use of the device,and was highly skeptical of
the”Greek cheerfulllness”,prompting what he viewed as the
plays’”blissful delight in life”.the deus ex machina as
Nietzsche saw it was symptomatic of socratic culture,which valued
knowledge over Dionysiac music and ultimately caused the death of
tragedy.
Nietzsche argued
that the deus ex machina creats a false sense of consolation that
ought not to be sought in phenomena.His denigration of the plot
device has prevailed in critical opinion.
Work
Cited:
- Wikipedia
- www.uvm.edu
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