Frame narrative - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Frame Narrative: A literary technique as old as storytelling itself, the Frame Narrative, also known as a frame story or embedded narrative, presents a story within a story, like a set of Russian nesting dolls. Often misunderstood as merely a structural device, the frame offers a lens through which the inner narrative is viewed, subtly influencing our understanding and inviting us to question the very act of storytelling.
While pinpointing its absolute origin remains elusive, echoes of the Frame Narrative can be discerned in ancient oral traditions. One notable early instance appears in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, composed gradually between 400 BCE and 400 CE. Here, the core narrative of the Bharata war is revealed through recitations by the sage Vaishampayana to King Janamejaya, creating a layered experience deepened by its historical context. The era surrounding the Mahabharata was one of immense philosophical and religious ferment in India, a time when stories served not just as entertainment, but as vehicles for profound moral and spiritual exploration.
The Frame Narrative's evolution is marked by diverse cultural adaptations. Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron (c. 1353), for example, uses the frame of ten young Florentines fleeing the Black Death to introduce a collection of one hundred tales, each reflecting on love, fortune, and human ingenuity. Why choose this specific number of narrators? Why did Boccaccio choose to set the tales during the plague a historical event that forever altered the course of Europe, and how did that influence his stories? This choice adds layers of meaning, transforming a collection of stories into a commentary on society, death, and the human condition.
Today, the Frame Narrative persists, constantly reimagined in literature, film, and video games. From The Princess Bride to Inception, it continues to challenge our perceptions of reality and fiction. Whether it serves as a bridge between worlds or an ironic commentary on the act of narration, the Frame Narrative remains a powerful tool for exploring the complexities of human experience. Might the frame itself be more significant than the story it holds, shaping our understanding in ways we scarcely perceive?