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Literature vocabulary · Core Concepts

Mimesis

Meaning in literature, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In literature, mimesis means: The representation or imitation of human action and the world in literature.

In Turkish: mimesis, taklit, temsil

How it is used

Use in literary theory when discussing the relationship between art and life, rather than simple factual copying.

Example sentences

  1. Our discussion of mimesis asked how the play represents ordinary family conflict.

    The focus is the play's representation of recognizable human behavior.

  2. The lecturer used mimesis to compare realistic dialogue with a stylized dance scene.

    Both scenes represent action, but their methods of representation differ.

Common collocations

  • the theory of mimesis
  • mimesis and representation
  • literary theoryThe study of the ideas and methods used to read and interpret literature, such as structuralism, Marxism, psychoanalysis, feminism and postcolonial theory.
  • RealismA nineteenth-century literary movement that aimed to show ordinary life and ordinary people accurately, without idealizing them, often with attention to social detail.

More terms: Core Concepts

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