Deus ex machina is a plot device involving a sudden and unexpected resolution, or a person or event that unexpectedly solves a problem.
Deus ex machina refers to a literary device where a sudden, improbable, or artificial character or event resolves a plot, or a person or event that suddenly solves a problem.
| Front | deus ex machina \DAY-uhs eks ma-kuh-nuh, -nah, MAK-uh-nuh\ |
|---|---|
| Back | noun 1. In Greek and Roman drama, a god lowered by stage machinery to resolve a plot or extricate the protagonist from a difficult situation. 2. An unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot. 3. A person or event that provides a sudden and unexpected solution to a difficulty. [New Latin deus ex machina : deus, god + ex, from + machina, machine (translation of Greek theos apo mekhanes).] "In fact the duke acts as the deus ex machina of the piece, working in the background to ensure that everything turns out right and manipulating the characters' actions along the way." |
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