Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Denouement

Image by National Galleries of Scotland Commons via Flickr

Denouement: noun - unravelling of a plot, situation or mystery; the final resolution of a play, novel, or other narrative.

The denouement comes just after a story’s climax, but before it actually ends and wraps up any loose ends the author doesn’t want leaving unresolved.

‘Elle was infuriated by the people in front of her in the queue for the movie, as they discussed in detail the denouement of the film she was about to watch.’

7 June 1811: James Young Simpson was born.

This Scottish Obstetrician, who pioneered the use of anaesthetics in the UK, was born in Bathgate, West Lothian. Initially educated at the local school, his obvious abilities persuaded his father and brothers to pay for a college education and he entered the University of Edinburgh at only 14 years of age. He later became Professor of Midwifery (Obstetrics) there and was also Queen Victoria’s physician . Although he finished his final examination at 18, he was so young that had to wait two more years before he was licenced to practise medicine. An early advocate of the use of midwives in hospitals, he was also consulted about gynaecological problems by many prominent women. His most noted contribution was the introduction of anaesthesia to childbirth.