# Eucatastrophe

- Term: Literature term
- Date: 1939
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/eucatastrophe/

> The sudden, joyous turn in a story when all seems lost, such as the eagles' arrival or the Ring's destruction. Tolkien considered it the highest function of fairy-story: a glimpse of joy beyond the walls of the world.

The sudden, joyous turn in a story when all seems lost, such as the eagles' arrival or the Ring's destruction. Tolkien considered it the highest function of fairy-story: a glimpse of joy beyond the walls of the world.

**Origin:** Coined by J. R. R. Tolkien, from the Greek eu (good) plus catastrophe, in On Fairy-Stories, based on a 1939 lecture.

## Quick answers

**What does "Eucatastrophe" mean?**
The sudden, joyous turn in a story when all seems lost, such as the eagles' arrival or the Ring's destruction. Tolkien considered it the highest function of fairy-story: a glimpse of joy beyond the walls of the world.

**Where does the term "Eucatastrophe" come from?**
Coined by J. R. R. Tolkien, from the Greek eu (good) plus catastrophe, in On Fairy-Stories, based on a 1939 lecture.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.