Motif

A motif is an image, sound, phrase or situation that recurs through a work, gathering meaning each time it returns and helping to build the theme.

In Macbeth, blood keeps coming back. It is on the dagger, on the king's skin and, in the end, on Lady Macbeth's hands, which she cannot stop washing. No single appearance carries the whole point. The pattern does. That is a motif.

How it works

A motif is repetition with variation. Each time it returns, the reader remembers the earlier times, so the meaning accumulates.

• An image. Water, mirrors, birds, a particular colour.
• A phrase. A line of dialogue that returns changed.
• A situation. Characters repeatedly waiting at a window, or a meal that goes wrong.
• A sound. A song, a bell, a silence.

Motif, symbol and theme

The theme is what the work is about. A symbol is a thing that stands for an idea. A motif is the repeating thread that connects the two, a way of making an idea felt without stating it.

Why it matters to a writer or editor

Motifs are one of the main tools of cohesion in a long work. They also make a reread rewarding. Editors look for two problems: a motif that appears once and is dropped, so it reads as an accident, and a motif that is hammered so often it becomes a tic. The fix is to track each appearance in a list and make sure each one adds something. It is setup and payoff stretched across a whole book, and the poetry version is the refrain.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a motif and a theme?

A theme is the central idea of a work, such as the cost of ambition. A motif is a recurring element, such as blood or hands washing, that helps carry that idea.

What is the difference between a motif and a symbol?

A symbol can appear once and still mean something. A motif only exists by recurring.

How often should a motif recur?

Enough to be noticed and not so often to become a tic. Three to five returns across a novel, each slightly different, is a common range.