The part of a narrative that introduces background information about characters, setting, and prior events necessary for understanding the story. Exposition provides context and establishes the world in which the main action will take place.
From Latin 'exponere' meaning 'to set forth' or 'explain,' through Old French 'exposition.' Originally used in rhetoric to describe the explanatory part of a speech, it was adopted into literary criticism to describe narrative passages that inform rather than advance action.
The art of exposition is one of the trickiest skills in storytelling—too much feels like an info-dump, too little leaves audiences confused! Modern writers have developed sophisticated techniques like starting in media res and weaving exposition into action, while older forms like Greek drama could rely on choruses to deliver necessary background information directly.
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