What term refers to the contrived, improbable ending of a play?

What term refers to the contrived, improbable ending of a play?

• A. Epigram
• B. Satire
• C. Deus Ex Machina
• D. Reversal Of Expectations

Answer: (C)

Deus ex machina is the term for a contrived, improbable ending where an outside force suddenly resolves the plot, often in a way that feels artificial or too convenient. The phrase comes from ancient theater, where a god was literally lowered onto the stage by a machine to fix everything at the last moment. In modern usage, it describes those endings that arrive out of nowhere and neatly resolve all the complications, sometimes without enough setup to feel earned. An epigram is just a short, witty statement; satire uses humor to critique society; a reversal of expectations is a twist that shifts what the audience anticipates, but doesn’t necessarily rely on an external, miraculous intervention to end the story.

Deus ex machina is the term for a contrived, improbable ending where an outside force suddenly resolves the plot, often in a way that feels artificial or too convenient. The phrase comes from ancient theater, where a god was literally lowered onto the stage by a machine to fix everything at the last moment. In modern usage, it describes those endings that arrive out of nowhere and neatly resolve all the complications, sometimes without enough setup to feel earned. An epigram is just a short, witty statement; satire uses humor to critique society; a reversal of expectations is a twist that shifts what the audience anticipates, but doesn’t necessarily rely on an external, miraculous intervention to end the story.