Denouement
noun
The final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the plot is drawn together and things are explained or resolved.
The film has a clever denouement that leaves the audience in shock.
Often appears as...
- unexpected denouement
- dramatic denouement
Usage tips
Literary
noun
The outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.
The denouement of the case will be announced by the judge today.
Often appears as...
- legal denouement
- shocking denouement
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
noun
The final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the plot is drawn together and things are explained or resolved.
The film has a clever denouement that leaves the audience in shock.
Often appears as...
- unexpected denouement
- dramatic denouement
Usage tips
Literary
noun
The outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.
The denouement of the case will be announced by the judge today.
Often appears as...
- legal denouement
- shocking denouement
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Narrative Closure
Indicates the point where the story concludes with satisfying finality for the audience.
The detective novel's denouement tied up all the loose ends.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Impact
Often carries emotional weight, leaving the audience with a lingering sense of the narrative.
I was moved by the film's poignant denouement.
Pro Tip 3/3Plot Revelation
The denouement can reveal hidden truths or twist that redefines the story perspective.
The play's denouement revealed the hero as the villain.
Pro Tip 1/3Narrative Closure
Indicates the point where the story concludes with satisfying finality for the audience.
The detective novel's denouement tied up all the loose ends.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Impact
Often carries emotional weight, leaving the audience with a lingering sense of the narrative.
I was moved by the film's poignant denouement.
Pro Tip 3/3Plot Revelation
The denouement can reveal hidden truths or twist that redefines the story perspective.
The play's denouement revealed the hero as the villain.
Pro Tip 1/3Narrative Closure
Indicates the point where the story concludes with satisfying finality for the audience.
The detective novel's denouement tied up all the loose ends.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Impact
Often carries emotional weight, leaving the audience with a lingering sense of the narrative.
I was moved by the film's poignant denouement.
Pro Tip 3/3Plot Revelation
The denouement can reveal hidden truths or twist that redefines the story perspective.
The play's denouement revealed the hero as the villain.
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Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
Plots may be simple or complex, but suspense, and climactic progress from one incident to another, are essential. Every incident in a fictional work should have some bearing on the climax or denouement, and any denouement which is not the inevitable result of the preceding incidents is awkward and unliterary.
Quote examples
Nancy Kress
American Writer
A brief short story may require only a few paragraphs after the climax. On the other hand, in his massive novel 'The World According to Garp,' John Irving's denouement consisted of 10 separate sections, each devoted to an individual character's fate and each almost a story in itself.
Quote examples
John Howard
Australian Statesman
There will, in my view, come a time when there has to be some kind of political denouement inside China, because the newly enriched generation might put up with being told what to do by their rulers - but their children, who will take prosperity for granted, will not.
Quote examples
Michelle Dockery
English Actress
I think the success of 'Downton' is partly because there are effectively 18 leading characters, all given equal importance, so it's enormously involving on many levels. But also, it's a new story. It's not like Dickens or Austen, where everyone knows the denouement.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
The end of a story must be stronger rather than weaker than the beginning, since it is the end which contains the denouement or culmination and which will leave the strongest impression upon the reader.
Quote examples
Kathryn Bigelow
American Director
There's a conventional reaction when you see a star: You anticipate he'll be a part of a particular denouement down the road, so you don't worry for that character.
Quote examples
John Kessel
American Author
The conventional Aristotelian plot proceeds by means of a protagonist, an antagonist, and a series of events comprising a rising action, climax and denouement.
Quote examples
Greg van Eekhout
Writer
More than working toward the book's climax, I work toward the denouement. As a reader and a writer, that's where I find the real satisfaction.
Quote examples
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Lebanese Scientist
It might be useful to be able to predict war. But tension does not necessarily lead to war, but often to peace and to denouement.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
Plots may be simple or complex, but suspense, and climactic progress from one incident to another, are essential. Every incident in a fictional work should have some bearing on the climax or denouement, and any denouement which is not the inevitable result of the preceding incidents is awkward and unliterary.
Quote examples
Nancy Kress
American Writer
A brief short story may require only a few paragraphs after the climax. On the other hand, in his massive novel 'The World According to Garp,' John Irving's denouement consisted of 10 separate sections, each devoted to an individual character's fate and each almost a story in itself.
Quote examples
John Howard
Australian Statesman
There will, in my view, come a time when there has to be some kind of political denouement inside China, because the newly enriched generation might put up with being told what to do by their rulers - but their children, who will take prosperity for granted, will not.
Quote examples
Michelle Dockery
English Actress
I think the success of 'Downton' is partly because there are effectively 18 leading characters, all given equal importance, so it's enormously involving on many levels. But also, it's a new story. It's not like Dickens or Austen, where everyone knows the denouement.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
The end of a story must be stronger rather than weaker than the beginning, since it is the end which contains the denouement or culmination and which will leave the strongest impression upon the reader.
Quote examples
Kathryn Bigelow
American Director
There's a conventional reaction when you see a star: You anticipate he'll be a part of a particular denouement down the road, so you don't worry for that character.
Quote examples
John Kessel
American Author
The conventional Aristotelian plot proceeds by means of a protagonist, an antagonist, and a series of events comprising a rising action, climax and denouement.
Quote examples
Greg van Eekhout
Writer
More than working toward the book's climax, I work toward the denouement. As a reader and a writer, that's where I find the real satisfaction.
Quote examples
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Lebanese Scientist
It might be useful to be able to predict war. But tension does not necessarily lead to war, but often to peace and to denouement.
Example 1 of 9
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