Ekphrasis

Abstract

This chapter examines the literary technique of ekphrasis, defining it in terms of its intended effect on the audience: the vivid representation of an image to the mind’s eye, so as to evoke an emotional or other response. Ekphrasis makes an object appear present to an audience; it can be rich in detail or deftly brief. Both modes engage the audience in the imaginative recreation of the object, person or scene in their mind. This chapter also examines other aspects of crafting a text using ekphrasis: order, variety, and reading objects as texts. It argues that ekphrasis prompts questions about the thing described: Who is the maker? Who is the observer? And why is it absent?