Deus ex Machina

[Aberforth's Goat]

No: HPFGUIDX 26960

> can someone explain the phrase "Deus ex machina" please...

Susan Hall did yesterday.

Literally, "god out of the machine." In ancient Greek dramas, playwrights
had Zeus (or other divinities) reeled onto the stage to untangle
inextricably bungled plotlines. Eventually, it developed into the way a
certain type of play was supposed to be done, rather like the way Mr. Bond
is supposed to punch villains to kingdom come exactly three-and-a-half
minutes before the close of his movies.

In response to Susan's post:

As I see the word used, I wouldn't limit the term to plot resolutions
delivered by a divine or paternal figure. To my ears, it is more of a
catch-all for all unnatural and contrived attempts to help out the good guy.
It combines with _malefactor sub machina_ ("bad guy under the car") to
create the MacGyver knife of story-telling.

Anyway, I'd say GoF's problems are more of the latter sort. I can imagine
Dumbledore smelling a rat and heading back Hogwardswards; what I can't
imagine is Real!Crouch not having the wits to kill Harry and scram.

Baaaaaa!

Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray, who, btw, thinks "Sex ex machina" was
Thurber at his best.)
_______________________

"Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been
bravery...."