What's a Motif?

Question

What is a motif?

Please no answers from wiki.

Need good explanation and the difference between a motif and a symbol?

Ex. If I chose "courage" as my motif, what I am supposed to do with it? I know it sounds dumb, but am I suppose to talk about how something relates to courage??!! Too confusing.

Please help.

10 points to best answer and thanks in advance.

Answer 1

think of the motif as the underlying theme of your work. Courage can be displayed in many ways:



in battle (would be the most obvious)

is standing up for what is right rather than aligning with popular opinion

In having the courage to stand up for someone else



all of the above display courage in different ways. You weave them (through various characters) into your story with the resolution of each act supporting your theme that courage gets rewarded (or whatever it might be.)



Think - motif: displaying the same theme through various ways.

Answer 2

Whats A Motif

Answer 3

Motif is an inspiration or a theme. It's the big idea behind a particular piece of art and may show itself in various ways via interpretation of how all the artistic elements fit togeher.



Just free associating with the idea of courage, I think of the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz who wanted to have courage more than anything. I think of iron shields, lances, and armor worn by knights in a jousting match for the Queen's favor or as equipment to go slay the dragon for the beautiful princess being held captive. I think of firemen running into a burning building to save a terrified woman or a screaming baby. I think of a young boy mustering the courage to ask a pretty girl to dance for the first time.



Some painting or sculpture might incorporate several or all of these things and the "motif" then would be "courage". Get it?

Answer 4

hey !



umm well the word motif is spelt 2 ways with 2 meanings



the spelling MOTIVE which makes more sense with the link you made with courage is what PROMPTS a person to act in a certain way or that determines an incentive ( an incentive is the REASON someone is doing something like if a wife kills her husband her incentive might be that she gets a life insurance payout [ lol ! ] )



the spelling MOTIF that you mentioned in your answer is basically a dominant area or feature. like in art, music & literature its the main recurring theme. & it can also be like a symbol which you said; my dictionary said "a distinctive figure in a design, for example a wallpaper"



hope that helped : )

Answer 5

courage really isn't a motif, more like a symbolic thing to represent what you're talking about.

Answer 6

A reoccuring thematic element in a muscial artistic or literary work.



A symbol merely stands for something.



To wit, you show this person's courage by having him rush into harm's way to save people time and time again.



On his arm is an eagle tattoo, which he strokes, a symbol of courage

Answer 7

isnt motif a sissies way of saying your lifes purpose?



mo·tif· (mō tēf′)



noun



a main element, idea, feature, etc.; specif.,

a main theme or subject to be elaborated on or developed, as in a piece of music, a book, etc.

a repeated figure in a design

Answer 8

motif is a common theme pronounced moteef

Answer 9

In literature, a word, character, object, image, metaphor, or idea that recurs in a work or in several works.