Theme (narrative)  

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 +[[Image:Edgar Allan Poe.jpg|thumb|left|200px|
 +"The [[death]] ... of a [[beautiful woman]] is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world" is a dictum by Edgar Allen Poe, from his essay "[[The Philosophy of Composition]]".
 +<br>
 +Photo: A [[daguerreotype]] of [[Edgar Allan Poe]], author of ''[[Tales of Mystery & Imagination]]'']]
 +[[Image:El amor y la muerte(English Love and Death) is a plate 10 from Los Caprichos by Francisco Goya..jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Love]] and [[death]] are two recurring themes in [[art history|art]] and [[History of literature|literary history]]
 +<br>Illustration: ''[[El amor y la muerte]]'' (English: Love and Death) is plate 10 from the ''[[Caprichos]]'' by [[Francisco Goya]].]]
{{Template}} {{Template}}
-In [[literature]], a '''theme''' is a broad idea in a story, or a message or lesson conveyed by a work. This message is usually about [[life]], [[society]] or [[human nature]]. Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. Themes are usually implied rather than explicitly stated. Deep thematic content is not required in literature; however, some readers would say that all stories inherently project some kind of outlook on life that can be taken as a theme, regardless of whether or not this is the [[Authorial intentionality|intent of the author]]. Analysis of changes in dynamic characters can provide insight into a particular theme.+In contemporary [[literary studies]], a '''theme''' is the central [[Topic–comment |topic]] a text treats.
-A theme is not the same as the subject of a work. For example, the ''subject'' of ''[[Green Eggs and Ham]]'' is "green eggs and ham are well worth eating, no matter the location". The ''theme'' might be "have an open mind". +The most common contemporary understanding of theme is an [[idea]] or [[concept]] that is central to a story, which can often be summed in a single word (e.g. [[love]], [[death]], [[betrayal]]). Typical examples of themes of this type are conflict between the individual and society; [[coming of age]]; humans in conflict with technology; nostalgia; and the dangers of unchecked ambition. A theme may be exemplified by the actions, utterances, or thoughts of a character in a novel. An example of this would be the theme loneliness in [[John Steinbeck]]'s ''[[Of Mice and Men]]'', wherein many of the characters seem to be lonely. It may differ from the thesis—the text's or author's implied [[worldview]].
-Themes differ from [[motif (literature)|motifs]] in that themes are ideas conveyed by a text, while motifs are repeated symbols that represent those ideas. Simply having repeated symbolism related to chess, does not make the story's theme the similarity of life to chess. Themes arise from the interplay of the plot, the characters, and the attitude the author takes to them, and the same story can be given very different themes in the hands of different authors. For instance, the source for Shakespeare's ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', [[Matteo Bandello]]'s [[The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet]] gave the story the theme of "the wickedness and folly of marrying without parental consent",+A story may have several themes. Themes often explore historically common or cross-culturally recognizable ideas, such as ethical questions, and are usually implied rather than stated explicitly. An example of this would be whether one should live a seemingly better life, at the price of giving up parts of ones humanity, which is a theme in [[Aldous Huxley|Aldous Huxley’s]] ''[[Brave New World]]''. Along with [[Plot (narrative)|plot]], [[Character (arts)|character]], [[Setting (fiction)|setting]], and [[Style (fiction)|style]], theme is considered one of the fundamental [[literary element|components]] of [[fiction]].
- +
-<blockquote>+
-And to this end, good Reader, is this tragical matter written, to describe unto thee a couple of unfortunate lovers, thralling themselves to unhonest desire; neglecting the authority and advice of parents and friends; conferring their principal counsels with drunken gossips and superstitious friars (the naturally fit instruments of unchastity); attempting all adventures of peril for th' attaining of their wished lust; using auricular confession the key of whoredom and treason, for furtherance of their purpose; abusing the honourable name of lawful marriage to cloak the shame of stolen contracts; finally by all means of unhonest life hasting to most unhappy death.+
-</blockquote>+
- +
-but in [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare's]] hands the same story acquires the theme of "the wickedness of feuds and parental heavy-handedness in preventing young love from marrying."+
- +
-While thematic analysis is a primary concern of literary critics, a minority viewpoint holds that explicitly stating the theme of a work universalizes it in an inappropriate way. For example, many love stories end happily when the hero and heroine marry, thus the theme "Marriage equals happiness." Critics would point out that marriage rarely does simply equate to happiness and that marriage and happiness are individual and cultural intangibles that may or may not relate.+
- +
-The term '''theme''' may be used in the same way to refer to works of [[theatre]] and [[film]]. The examples below are not necessarily the only themes in the works listed.+
- +
- +
-''[[The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn]]'' by [[Mark Twain]]:+
-Themes include:+
-* (The evils of) Racism and slavery+
-* Intellectual and moral education+
-* The hypocrisy of "civilized" society [http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/huckfinn/themes.html]+
- +
-'[[To Kill a Mockingbird]]'' by [[Harper Lee]]+
-Themes include:+
-* The coexistence of good and evil+
-* The importance of moral education+
-* The existence of social inequality+
- +
-'[[The Catcher in the Rye]]' by [[J.D. Salinger]]+
-Themes include:+
-* Alienation as a Form of Self-Protection+
-* The Painfulness of Growing Up+
-* The Phoniness of the Adult World [http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catcher/themes.html]+
==References== ==References==
-*Wayne C. Booth, ''[[The Rhetoric of Fiction]]''+*[[Wayne C. Booth]], ''[[The Rhetoric of Fiction]]''
-*Thomas C. Crockett, ''[[Walking in America: Themes of Literature]]''+
- +
-== See also ==+
-*[[Motif (literature)]]+
- +
-== Thematic literary criticism ==+
- +
-In the course of 2004-2006 I have read a number of works which can be considered thematic literatery criticism: +
- +
-*Praz’s ''[[Romantic Agony]]'' +
-*Todorov’s ''[[The Fantastic]]'' +
-*Colin Wilson’s ''[[The Misfits]]'' and ''[[The Outsider]]'' +
-*Ludwig Marcuse’s ''[[Obscene]]'' +
-*André Breton’s ''[[Anthology of Black Humor]]'' +
- +
-Todo list: the thematic criticism of [[Jean-Pierre Richard]] (''Littérature et Sensation'', 1954) and the Geneva school as it applies to the works above. Also check the criticism by Todorov on Richard. +
-Maybe start here; a tribute to [[Horst Daemmrich]]'s ''Themes and Motifs in Western Literature''.+==See also==
 +* [[Literary element]]
 +* [[Moral lesson]]
 +* [[Motif (narrative)]]
 +*[[Thematic literary criticism]]''
 +{{GFDL}}

Current revision

 "The death ... of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world" is a dictum by Edgar Allen Poe, from his essay "The Philosophy of Composition".  Photo: A daguerreotype of Edgar Allan Poe, author of Tales of Mystery & Imagination
Enlarge
"The death ... of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world" is a dictum by Edgar Allen Poe, from his essay "The Philosophy of Composition".
Photo: A daguerreotype of Edgar Allan Poe, author of Tales of Mystery & Imagination
Love and death are two recurring themes in art and literary history Illustration: El amor y la muerte (English: Love and Death) is plate 10 from the Caprichos by Francisco Goya.
Enlarge
Love and death are two recurring themes in art and literary history
Illustration: El amor y la muerte (English: Love and Death) is plate 10 from the Caprichos by Francisco Goya.

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In contemporary literary studies, a theme is the central topic a text treats.

The most common contemporary understanding of theme is an idea or concept that is central to a story, which can often be summed in a single word (e.g. love, death, betrayal). Typical examples of themes of this type are conflict between the individual and society; coming of age; humans in conflict with technology; nostalgia; and the dangers of unchecked ambition. A theme may be exemplified by the actions, utterances, or thoughts of a character in a novel. An example of this would be the theme loneliness in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, wherein many of the characters seem to be lonely. It may differ from the thesis—the text's or author's implied worldview.

A story may have several themes. Themes often explore historically common or cross-culturally recognizable ideas, such as ethical questions, and are usually implied rather than stated explicitly. An example of this would be whether one should live a seemingly better life, at the price of giving up parts of ones humanity, which is a theme in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Along with plot, character, setting, and style, theme is considered one of the fundamental components of fiction.

References

See also




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Theme (narrative)" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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