|
Narrative is a term which has several and changing meanings. In origin it is a latin word which came into
English via the french language.
A 'narrative' is, originally a story or part of a story spoken, written or imagined from the viewpoint of one of the (possibly
fictional) participants or observers.
In recent years the meaning has been widened to imply the construction of a 'story' from a particular angle or viewpoint. In
this form it is often used (and perhaps overused) in interlectual discourse so that even inanimate objects can be said to provide
a 'narrative' about a particular subject.
Narrative can also be a synonym for a story or tale.
See also
Other meanings
- Narrative poetry is poetry that tells a story.
- Narrative history
is a genre of factural historical writing that uses chronology as its framework
(as opposed to a thematic treatment of a historical subject).
- Narrative
Environment is a contested term that has been used for techniques of archtectural or exhibition design in which 'stories are
told in space'. But is has also been used for the virtual environments in which
computer games are played and which are invented by the computer game authors.
Reference
- Narrative Discourse, An Essay in Method by Gerard Genette, Cornell University Press 1980: a discussion of
narrative in Proust.
|