Peripety (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 sudden discovery of his true identity marked a dramatic peripety in the novel, transforming his life forever.
- The peripety of the main character's death in the middle of the play shocked the audience and added a layer of complexity to the story.
- The unexpected twist in the plot, a classic peripety, left readers on the edge of their seats, eager to find out what would happen next.
- The peripety of the protagonist's fortunes, from rags to riches, was a staple of the fairy tale genre, but this story added a fresh spin to the classic trope.
- The sudden reversal of the villain's fortunes, a peripety that caught both the hero and the audience off guard, added a layer of tension to the final showdown.