The fourth wall is a convention in fiction that separates the action from the audience. It helps suspend disbelief and is not usually mentioned or disturbed. Breaking the wall can be a storytelling device, but when done poorly, it can alienate or confuse audiences. People can also break through the fourth wall in the context of a narrative.
The fourth wall is a convention in the fictional medium that separates the action from the audience. This term has its roots in the 1800s, and refers to the effect created in a proscenium theatre, where audience members sit on the other side of a “wall” created by the proscenium arch, looking at the set. Works of written fiction usually include a fourth wall, as do plays, films, and television shows in which fiction is dramatized.
By convention, the fourth wall is not mentioned or disturbed in the course of the events depicted. The upkeep of the wall helps the audience suspend their disbelief, as fantastical events can happen beyond the wall yet be perceived as acceptable, as they appear in the isolated universe of fiction itself. In the case of dramatized fiction, the actors usually play at the fourth wall and the set is angled towards this imaginary barrier to ensure that the audience can clearly see what is going on.
In some works, people transcend the confines of the fourth wall. This practice is known as “breaking the wall” and can be jarring or unnerving to the audience. A classic example of this is a digression or narrative that is directed at the audience, such as when a character in a Shakespeare play steps to the side of the stage and engages in a soliloquy; the other characters neither hear nor respond to the speech, because the speech is directed through the fourth wall.
Breaking the wall can be an excellent storytelling device, with many artists using the technique to shock, frighten, or amuse audiences. Numerous television shows have used a documentary-style device, allowing characters to speak directly to the camera as if they were being interviewed. When done poorly, however, breaking through the fourth wall can ruin the look of the piece, making audiences feel alienated or confused. In a movie, for example, if a character suddenly starts addressing the camera, he might appear off-balance and strange.
People can also break through the fourth wall in the context of a narrative. In The Matrix, for example, the hero realizes he is living in an imaginary world and pulls himself out of that world into the “real” world of the narrative. Many works of fiction have used this device, revealing layers of reality like an onion. In some cases, the public may be caught up in the deception, and in other cases, the revelation of an entirely different reality may come as a surprise.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
