English Literature GCSE
Meta-theatrical
What Meta-theatrical means in English Literature GCSE, as defined for OCR.
Definition of Meta-theatrical
A dramatic technique where the play draws attention to its own artificiality, reminding the audience that they are watching a performance rather than reality. In Henry V, the Chorus's opening line—'O for a Muse of fire'—and its question 'can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of France?' are meta-theatrical because they acknowledge the limitations of theatre.
Topics that use Meta-theatrical
- Henry V (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- Anaphora
- Blank Verse
- Collective pronouns
- Divine Right of Kings
- Dramatic Irony
- Extended Metaphor
- Machiavellian
- Rhetoric
Using Meta-theatrical in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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