Mise en abyme

The term mise en abyme [mi: z ‿ ‿ ɑn abim ] ( Old-French abyme, from Greek ἄβυσσος Abyss " bottomless, infinite" ) comes from the heraldry and refers to a picture within a picture, a picture that contains itself.

In addition, it is used in the epic and the drama in a narrative process, which corresponds to the mathematical recursion. This use is based on a diary entry by André Gide (Summer 1893): " I really like it when the subject of a work of art in the spectrum of his characters is converted one more time - similar to the process to map a coat of arms in his field again ( mettre en abyme ). "

Popular picture examples are the historical advertising posters of La vache qui rit or the Dutch Droste cocoa. Derived from the cocoa - packaging the mise en abyme is colloquially referred to as Droste Effect.

A well-known example is the text nursery rhyme: "A Pug snuck into the kitchen and stole the cook an egg, / as the chef took the spoon and hit the pug in two. / Because many pugs came and dug him a grave / and put upon him 'nen grave stone on which was written: / A pug crept into the kitchen and stole the cook an egg / ... "

Etymology

The term can also be etymologically derived in two ways. Abyme or abîme is both a technical term from the Heraldry and coat of arms refers to the field in the arms, so a coat of arms coat of arms. Abime, as written, means to another abyss, and mise en abyme as much as in the abyss (infinite repeat) throw.

Definitions

The Mise en abyme is an imaging or narrative method, the. Vanitas in the representations of the 16-17 Century is common and it is later used by many Romantics (see also metalepsis ).

The following are different definitions or descriptions of the mise en abyme are presented:

Gero von Wilpert

" Mise en abyme (...), by A. Gide (Journal, 1893); Les faux- monnayeurs, 1925) introduced term for a stake in the game of drama appropriate technique of framing story, in which one or the framed single story self-reflexive reflection of the (framework) main plot or part thereof, and this standing as between two mirrors can continue indefinitely. "

The mise en abyme thus is a specific repetition method on the narrative level, respectively the level of the discours.

Werner Wolf

" The mise en abyme is the reflection of a macrostructure of a literary text in a microstructure within the same text. Can be mirrored elements of the fictional histoire, elements of narration, ie elements of mediation and narrative situation itself, or poetics elements ( general discourse about the narrative situation beyond ). "

Wolf indicates as another iteration procedure is still variation and symmetry. Is a prerequisite for the mise en abyme that repetition is constituted on a different level than the originally given. In the text, it must (extra, etc. intradiegetic ) thus give a hierarchy of narrative levels.

Werner Wolf also discussed in his book, the mise en abyme as illusion disturbing narrative method. But for him it is not disturbing illusion itself. For him, it does not have to be a literal repetition, but it is enough an analogous. Then could the mise en abyme be not only plausible and compatible illusion, but are also an aid to understanding for the reader. Although she throws into the abyss, it can thus shed light, resolve puzzles of the frame story by detective manner in the internal history. Above all reflections of histoire - elements ( mise en abyme fiction elle ) are often compatible illusion, namely, when they occur as a dream, Oracle or similar. Additional factors are needed for the illusion disorder. One of these factors is, for example, the frequency of occurrence of the mise en abyme and the number of planes of reflection. Another factor is the extent of the reflection contents: individual elements of the story in partial mises en abyme are less disruptive than illusion extensive and in extreme cases the whole histoire Total comprehensive reflections.

Generally, however, a mise en abyme effect alone thereby disturbing illusion that they - as Wolf says - the constructed nature of history can be seen. The albeit analogous repetition of the mise en abyme discloses a formal organization of a conspicuous artificiality.

Michael Scheffel

Many of the definitions given, insist on an infinity of repetition, ie the infinite reflection. Michael Scheffel clearly distinguishes between the simple and the infinite reflection. It is directed against an inflationary use of mise -en- abyme - term. Thus, can be described as mise en abyme for him only the literal repetition of the frame in the internal history. Associated with this is often the subject of the book in the book: for example, a character who reads or repeats a book that elements of the narrative framework of their own history. Often the figures are within such a structure, writers who are at the same time understood as told and as a narrative figure.

As an example he cites Novalis ' Heinrich von Ofterdingen: In the fifth chapter Heinrich found in a hermit a book that - as Heinrich can connect only from the illustrations of the written in an alien language text - obviously tells its own story. (This refers to Goethe's Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship. , Where Wilhelm Meister gets towards the end of the novel of the Tower Society be given to the vocational certificate, which contains the story of his becoming. )

Metzler

A relatively new definition in Metzler Lexikon literary and cultural theory, which is also by Werner Wolf summarizes the concept of mise en abyme very far and can typological differentiations of the mise en abyme to. There forms the mise en abyme be distinguished:

• In quantitative terms: inserted mise en abyme of minor extent, mise en abyme framed by large scale
• One-off against frequent or endless mise en abyme
• Partial towards total mise en abyme

• Literal opposite transposed, that is, modified reflections
• Probable or improbable against mise en abyme of paradoxical

• Content over formal mise en abyme

• Metatextual functionalization and the pro- and retrospectively acting mise en abyme, filled by the (mostly content ) vacancies in the parent level or uncovered puzzles (this is a special case of implicit commenting, meaningful, and illustrative function of the mise en often abyme, similar a narrator or as a use of her plays )
• With frequent or paradoxical application, the mise en abyme also illusion by breaking work ( literary artificiality )