Deus Ex Machina
Pronounced DAY-oos eks MAH-kee-nah.
Deus Ex Machina: An abrupt, improbable intervention that resolves a plot from outside its own logic.
Named for the crane that lowered gods onto the Greek stage, the device now mostly appears as a criticism: a rescue the story has not earned. Used knowingly, it can still be a joke or a shock.
Deus Ex Machina examples
"Medea escapes the consequences of her revenge in a chariot sent by the sun god."
— Medea, Euripides
"A naval officer simply arrives on the beach and ends the boys' war."
— Lord of the Flies, William Golding
"The term is Latin for 'god from the machine', after the stage crane of Greek tragedy."
— common usage
"The rescue helicopter appeared over the ridge in the final paragraph, unannounced and unexplained."
— original example
Spot the Deus Ex Machina
Score: 0/0An abrupt, improbable intervention that resolves a plot from outside its own logic.
"Medea escapes the consequences of her revenge in a chariot sent by the sun god."
Which work is this from?
Explore every literary device in the poetic devices hub.
Deus Ex Machina: common questions
What is deus ex machina in literature?
An abrupt, improbable intervention that resolves a plot from outside its own logic. Named for the crane that lowered gods onto the Greek stage, the device now mostly appears as a criticism: a rescue the story has not earned. Used knowingly, it can still be a joke or a shock.
What is an example of deus ex machina?
A classic example is "Medea escapes the consequences of her revenge in a chariot sent by the sun god." (Medea, Euripides).
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