

One of the best-known is the arrival of the eagles, enormous, dragon-sized eagles, who save Gandalf from Saruman when it seems like there is no hope of escape.Īs You Like It includes an example of deus ex machina, as do several other plays by the Bard.

While some might find this conclusion fitting, to others, it reads like an easy way out, one that does not require the author to find a way to physically defeat the extraterrestrials.Īlthough well-loved by many, a few moments might be considered deus ex machina in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. slain, after all man’s devices had failed, by the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon this earth. Here are a few lines from the last pages of the story: The Martians are defeated, after much destruction, due to an earth pathogen to which they had no immunity.

But, the story is sometimes criticized due to its conclusion. It famously terrified the public when it was broadcast on the radio, convincing many that a real alien invasion was underway. War of the Worlds is one of the best-known science fiction novellas of the 1800s. The gods appeared and disappeared, providing solutions to difficult situations at the end of plays.Įxamples of Deus Ex Machina War of the Worlds by H.G. It could be crane-like or something more akin to a trap door, allowing actors to rise up or descend down to the stage. “Deus Ex Machina” comes from the Greek meaning “god from the machine.” It was first used in Greek theatre to refer to the stage machinery that would move statues or actors playing gods onto and off of the stage. Another popular example is the realization that the entire story was just a dream. For example, a story in which a character spends pages seeking out a lost family member only to have them magically returned by an unknown force, or an apocalyptic future remedied by divine intervention, negating the suffering and plot points up until that moment. The writer concludes the plot with an implausible twist that solves all the problems they had created throughout the work. 1 Definition and Explanation of Deus Ex Machinaĭefinition and Explanation of Deus Ex Machinaĭues ex machina is normally looked down on as an “easy way out.” This literary device refers to conclusions to stories, novels, and epic poems.
