Peripeteia (Noun)
Meaning
A sudden and unexpected change of fortune or reverse of circumstances (especially in a literary work); "a peripeteia swiftly turns a routine sequence of events into a story worth telling".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Examples
- The hero's downfall was a classic example of peripeteia, as his own hubris led to his demise in the final act of the play.
- The sudden revelation of the protagonist's true identity was a stunning peripeteia that upended the entire plot of the novel.
- The peripeteia of the economic downturn turned the company's fortunes from boom to bust almost overnight.
- In the classic tale of Oedipus Rex, the peripeteia occurs when the protagonist discovers the shocking truth about his parentage.
- The peripeteia of the natural disaster transformed the quiet town into a scene of chaos and destruction in a matter of minutes.