Origin and Ancient Examples of Deus Ex Machina
– Latin calque from Greek: ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēkhanês theós)
– Coined from conventions of ancient Greek theater
– Actors playing gods brought on stage using a machine
– Machine could be a crane or a riser
– Aeschylus introduced the idea and it was used often in Greek tragedy
– Aeschylus used the device in his play Eumenides
– Euripides popularized the deus ex machina, using it in more than half of his extant tragedies
– Examples include Medea, Alcestis, and Thesmophoriazusae
– Device produced an immediate emotional response in Greek audiences
– Added to the moral effect of the drama
Modern Theatrical Examples of Deus Ex Machina
– Characters ascending into heaven at the end of Andromède
– Shakespeare using the device in As You Like It, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, and Cymbeline
– John Gay using it in The Beggars Opera
– Used during politically turbulent times to make controversial theses more palatable
– Example of Molière’s Tartuffe saving the heroes from a terrible fate
Plot Device and Criticism of Deus Ex Machina
– Aristotle was the first to describe the technique as a device to resolve plot in tragedies
– Considered undesirable and lacking creativity by some
– Damages the story’s internal logic
– Challenges the reader’s suspension of disbelief
– Used to tie up loose ends and resolve conflicts
– Deus ex machina is often criticized as inartistic, too convenient, and simplistic
– Champions of the device argue it opens up ideological and artistic possibilities
– Early critic Antiphanes believed it showed a playwright’s inability to manage plot complications
– Aristotle criticized the device, stating plot resolution must arise internally
– Horace instructs poets to avoid using a god from the machine unless necessary for plot resolution
– Renaissance critics viewed the deus ex machina as an inept plot device
– Friedrich Nietzsche criticized Euripides for using the device and saw it as symptomatic of Socratic culture
– Nietzsche argued that the deus ex machina creates a false sense of consolation
– Nietzsche’s denigration of the plot device has prevailed in critical opinion
– Other late 19th-century responses to the device referred to it as burlesque, coup de théâtre, and catastrophe
Euripides’ Use of Deus Ex Machina
– Some scholars argue that Euripides used the device as an integral part of the plot
– Euripides often began his plays with gods, so it made sense for them to resolve the conflicts
– Half of Euripides’ extant plays end with the use of deus ex machina
– The device allowed Euripides to bring about a natural and dignified ending
– It was not simply a device to relieve the playwright of a confusing plot ending
Subversion and Cultural Assumptions of Deus Ex Machina
– Some champions of the device believe it can be a spectacular agent of subversion
– It can undercut generic conventions and challenge cultural assumptions
– The deus ex machina allows mortals to probe their relationship with the divine
– Greek tragedies with deus ex machina complicate the lives and attitudes of characters
– The device brings the drama home to the audience
Note: The content related to other plot devices and concepts, as well as the notes and references, have been excluded from the groups as they are not directly relevant to the concept of Deus Ex Machina. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_ex_machina
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