Chronotope - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A chronotope is a literary concept that describes how time and space are interconnected in a narrative. It helps analyze how settings and events shape a story’s meaning and structure.
Definition:
A literary concept describing the interconnectedness of time and space in narrative settings.
Synonyms:
time-space, narrative setting, temporal-spatial framework
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
timelessness, spacelessness
Common Collocations:
narrative structure, literary analysis, Bakhtinian theory
Derivatives:
chronotopic, chronotopically
Usage Tips:
Use "chronotope" when discussing how time and space shape a story’s meaning or atmosphere in literature.
Common Phrases:
Bakhtin’s chronotope, chronotopic analysis, narrative chronotope
Etymology:
From Greek "chronos" (time) and "topos" (place), coined by Mikhail Bakhtin in literary theory.
Examples:
- 1. The novel’s chronotope blends past and present seamlessly.
- 2. Bakhtin introduced the chronotope to analyze time-space relationships in stories.
- 3. The film’s surreal chronotope disorients viewers intentionally.
- 4. Fairy tales often feature a magical chronotope distinct from reality.