Welcome to my new series!
Word of the Week is something new that I’ve decided to try out. Those of you that enjoy my writing tips will love this little tidbit. Each week, I’d like to post a word I’ve found (while reading, of course) and share what it means. I’m hoping it will improve my own vocabulary, and maybe it will help you, too! So, without further ado, here’s our first official Word of the Week!
Denouement
- A noun. A final decision, or when something is made clear at the end of a narrative. (Oxford Languages)
- “the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work” (Merriam Webster)
So, for example. If we take the classic Romeo and Juliet (Gotta love Shakespeare, am I right?), the Denouement of the play would be when the two lovers kill themselves since that’s the very end. In another classic story, Pride and Prejudice, it would be when Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth get married and live happily ever after. Though, it seems that the ‘word’ Denouement originally applied mostly to plays, my research seems to confirm (and conclude) that it now applies to literary works in general, so feel free to use it when referring to the book you’re reading to sound fancy in front of your family.
So, there you go. This week’s word is Denouement. Now, the next time you’re reading and you see it, maybe you’ll remember this post and have a faint idea of what it means (unless of course, you’re totally unlike me and already knew).
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