Deus ex machina

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/deus-ex-machina

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the literal translation?Latin for 'god from the machine'
2. What is the theatrical origin?Ancient Greek plays utilizing a crane ('mechane') to lower divine actors
3. What does "deus ex machina" mean?It is Latin for "god from the machine." It describes a sudden help that appears to solve a problem in a story.
4. How did ancient Greek plays use a deus ex machina?In old Greek plays, a crane called a "mechane" would lower actors playing gods onto the stage. The god would then fix the problem or end the play quickly.

Plot Device: A narrative technique or strategy employed by an author to advance the plot.
Denouement: The resolution of the main conflict in a literary work; the falling action.
Contrivance: An artificial or forced arrangement or event, often seen as unnatural or unbelievable.