Etymology of Motif
The term “motif” originates from the French term having the same spellings and meanings. It means a recurring theme or pattern in art or music. However, the French term used to be motife in old French and it means a note in music or a figure in design. The Old French term comes from the Medieval Latin term motivus, meaning “moving” or “causing motion.”
Difference Meanings of Motif
- Motif in Literature: A motif is a recurring element or theme that helps to unify a work and convey its meaning. It can be an image, symbol, character, plot device, or any other element that repeats throughout the work.
- Motif in Art: A motif is a recurring design or pattern, often used to create a sense of unity and coherence in a work of art. It can be a visual element that appears repeatedly and contributes to the overall aesthetic or message of the artwork.
- Motif in Music: A motif is a short melodic or rhythmic idea that repeats throughout a composition. It serves as a unifying element, appearing multiple times to create a sense of cohesion within the music.
Motif in Grammar
Grammatically, the word motif is a singular noun that typically takes a singular verb, such as “the motif is repeated throughout the novel.” When using pronouns with motif, singular pronouns such as “it” or “its” are used, for example: “The motif appears in the first chapter, and it recurs throughout the novel.”
Definition of Motif
A motif is a recurring element, symbol, or theme in a work of literature, art, or music. It could be an object, image, sound, or concept that appears repeatedly throughout the work, often serving as a unifying and symbolic element. A motif enhances the coherence and meaning of the work and helps to convey its message to the readers, viewers, or listeners.
Types of Motif
There are many types of motifs used in literature, art, and music. Here are some common types of motifs:
| Type | Explanation/Definition | For Example |
| Character motifs | It is the recurring traits or attributes associated with a particular character. | As a character motif, a character always wears a specific color or has a habit of speaking in a certain way. |
| Object motifs | It is the recurring objects in a work with symbolic meaning. | For example, a clock representing the passage of time or the inevitability of death is an object motif. |
| Color motifs | It is the recurring colors in a work with symbolic meaning. | For example, red color symbolizes passion or danger, while blue represents calmness or sadness. |
| Nature motifs | It is recurring natural elements (plants, animals, weather patterns) in a work with symbolic meaning. | For example, a snake represents temptation or evil, or rain symbolizing cleansing or renewal. |
| Sound motifs | It is recurring sounds (e.g., musical themes) that create unity or emotional resonance in a work. | For example, a particular musical theme appears throughout a composition. |
| Action motifs | It is recurring actions or events in a work with symbolic meaning. | For example, a character consistently lights a cigarette to represent their personality or state of mind. |
These motifs are used in literature, art, music, and other forms of expression to enhance the thematic and aesthetic elements of a work, contributing to its unity and coherence.
Common Examples of Motif
| Type | Definition | Example |
| Catchphrases | It means recurring phrases or expressions that individuals frequently use in conversations, becoming a distinctive part of their communication style. | Someone frequently says, “You know what I mean?” or “I’m just saying.” |
| Hand gestures | It means certain repetitive hand movements used by individuals during conversations to serve as nonverbal cues or emphasize particular points. | For example, thumbs-ups, finger-pointing, or hand-waving for emphasis in conversations are hand gestures. |
| Inside jokes | It means recurring humorous references or phrases shared among a specific group of people, creating a sense of belonging and shared experiences within the group. | For example, inside jokes that only a particular group of friends understand and find amusing is a type of inside motif. |
| Verbal tics | It means repetitive words, sounds, or phrases unconsciously or habitually used by individuals in their speech. | Verbal tics are like saying “like,” “um,” or “you know,” or using phrases such as “I mean” or “sort of” frequently in conversations. |
| Personal anecdotes | It means recurring personal stories or anecdotes shared by individuals in different conversations to illustrate points, provide examples, or entertain others. | For example, sharing a particular personal story repeatedly in various conversations to emphasize a specific point or entertain others is a personal anecdote. |
| Social media trends | Social media trends, viral content, memes, hashtags, or references to popular internet content become recurring motifs in everyday conversations. | Incorporating popular internet phrases, memes, or viral videos into discussions as shared cultural references or as a way to connect with others who are familiar with the content. |
Examples of Motifs with Extracts
- “Conch” in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies:
The conch shell that the boys find on the island becomes a symbol of authority and order. It is used to call assemblies and only the person holding it is allowed to speak. In this extract, the motif of the conch is used to establish order and to show how quickly it can be lost:
Extract: “But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart” (Chapter 1).
- “Water” in Toni Morrison’s Beloved:
Water is a recurring motif in this novel, representing both life and death. In this extract, the motif of water is used to describe the flood that destroys Sethe’s house and washes away her past:
The plash of water, the sight of her shoes and stockings awry on the path where she had flung them; or Here Boy lapping in the puddle near her feet, and suddenly there was Sweet Home rolling, rolling, rolling out before her eyes, and although there was not a leaf on that farm that did not make her want to scream, it rolled itself out before her in shameless beauty. (Chapter-2)
- “Light” in Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse:
The motif of the lighthouse’s beam of light represents the search for meaning and understanding in a world that can seem chaotic and confusing. In this extract, the light is described as a beacon of hope and reassurance:
Extract: “Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision. She sewed as if to hold it there for a moment. But it was too deep, too far below the surface for that. ‘The little minute you and I will spend together—’ she murmured. ‘I have had my vision.’” (Chapter 17)
- “Rosebush” in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter: The motif of the rosebush outside the prison represents the beauty and hope that can exist in even the darkest of places. In this extract, the rosebush is used to foreshadow the appearance of Hester Prynne:
Extract: “But on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him.” (Chapter 1)
Suggested Readings
- Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 11th ed., Cengage Learning, 2014.
- Baldick, Chris. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. 4th ed., Oxford University Press, 2014.
- Cuddon, J.A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. 4th ed., Penguin Books, 2013.
- DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2016.
- Drabble, Margaret, editor. The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 7th ed., Oxford University Press, 2009.
- Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 12th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2018.
- Greene, Roland, et al., editors. The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. 3rd ed., Princeton University Press, 1993.
- Shklovsky, Viktor. “Art as Technique.” Russian Formalist Criticism: Four Essays, edited and translated by Lee T. Lemon and Marion J. Reis, University of Nebraska Press, 1965, pp. 3-24.
- Wellek, René, and Austin Warren. Theory of Literature. 3rd ed., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1977.