Definition of parabasis in English:
parabasis
nounPlural parabases pəˈrabəsɪs
1(in ancient Greek comedy) a direct address to the audience, sung or chanted by the chorus on behalf of the author.
Example sentencesExamples
- The Chorus is important, and peculiar to Old Comedy are the agon and parabasis.
- This paper discusses the ode and antode of Aristophanes Clouds with a view to appreciating the author's self-presentation in the parabasis.
- 1.1 A digression in a fictional work in which the author addresses the reader.
Origin
Early 19th century: from Greek, from parabainein 'go aside'.