Didascalici

Didascalici is a term rooted in didactic and didaskalos, Greek for “teacher.” In English, the related adjective is didactic or didascalic, while in several Romance languages the plural form didascalici is used to refer to didactic works or to didascalic elements such as stage directions. The word’s broad sense encompasses texts and passages whose primary purpose is instruction, moral guidance, or practical knowledge.

In literary criticism, didascalic works are those designed to teach a lesson or convey explicit ethical, religious, or social instruction. Traditional examples include classical didactic poetry and prose, such as Hesiod’s Works and Days or instructional fables attributed to various authors. Religious and moral tracts, civic primers, and pedagogical overtures are also described as didascalic. The term can carry a neutral descriptive value or a critical note about emphasis on instruction over aesthetic complexity.

In drama, didascalie (the singular in French and related terms in other languages) refers to stage directions or instructions inserted by the author or editor. Plays described as having strong didascalic elements often foreground moral commentary, educational aims, or explicit authorial guidance for performance, sometimes at the expense of dramatic subtlety.

Critics generally view didascalic works as valuable for their clarity and educational intent, while some critique them for pedantry or reduced artistic ambiguity. The concept remains a useful label for identifying texts whose primary aim is instruction rather than purely aesthetic experience.

See also: didacticism, didache, didascalia, didascalie.