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Dénouement

Structure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The final part of a poem or narrative in which the strands of the plot or argument are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved

Detailed Definition
Dénouement in poetic narrative refers to the resolution or unraveling of tension following the climax, where thematic implications crystallize and emotional equilibrium is restored (or subverted); though more common in dramatic or narrative poetry, the dénouement may appear as a final stanza that reframes earlier images, as in the quiet closure of Keats’s “Ode on a Grecian Urn” or the ironic twist in Browning’s dramatic monologues.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dénouement|Resolution after climactic action in narrative poem; Final revelation of mystery in verse story; Loose ends tied in epic conclusion; Aftermath following dramatic peak
Additional Notes
Dénouement refers to the resolution or conclusion of a narrative or poem, tying together conflicts and themes after the climax.
Other Meanings of “Dénouement”
Also Known As
Resolution Unraveling Outcome Final revelation Conclusion poetic closure aftermath
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