Literal Translation
A theatre coup
Actual Meaning
A dramatic turn of events
Etymology
The coup de théâtre marks a sudden change in the dramatic action and in the situation of the characters in a play. It alters the course of the narrative and revives interest. Molière used a famous coup de théâtre in L’Avare, where he brings face to face the son who borrows at usury and the father who happens to be the usurer. Today, the coup de théâtre refers to a sudden, unpredictable event that can turn a situation around and change a life.