Deus Ex Machina Examples

Deus Ex Machina is the literary term that refers to a character or event that seems to exist just to effortlessly solve a problem that seems unsolvable. This character is almost "divine," and the way that the problem is solved could be called "divine intervention."

Some people criticize the use of deus ex machina as being unrealistic, and therefore, weak. However, deus ex machina is often used in fairy tales or fantasy, which are unrealistic in nature.

1. Cinderella's fairy godmother comes and solves all of her problems by magically creating a dress, coach, and servants so that Cinderella can go to the ball.

2. Pinocchio's blue fairy rescues him several times during the course of the story.

3. Gandalf seems to return from the dead just when Frodo needs him so that he can survive and continue his journey with the ring.

4. In the ancient Greek myth about Jason and Medea, the sun god sends a chariot to take Medea way from her husband and back to her home in Athens.

5. Prince Charming and his enchanted kiss seems to save the day in Sleeping Beauty.

6. In Beauty and the Beast, the beast seems to have died, but Belle's love saves the day and he returns to life.

7. In The Lord of the Flies, the boys are suddenly rescued by a passing ship.