didascaliche

Didascaliche is an adjective used in Italian and, less commonly, in other Romance languages to denote didactic, instructional, or moralizing content. The term derives from Greek didaskalos, “teacher,” through Latin didascalia, and has produced modern forms such as didascalico, didascalica, and didascaliche in feminine plural usage.

In literary criticism, didascaliche describes works or passages whose primary aim is to instruct or convey moral or practical lessons, sometimes at the expense of literary artistry. It is often used pejoratively to signal a tone that intrudes on narrative or character development with explicit exhortations or precepts. The concept is closely related to didactic literature and to didacticism more broadly.

In theatre and film studies, the related noun didascalia refers to stage directions, but didascaliche as an adjective can describe instructional or expository elements within a script, such as comments that direct the audience’s interpretation or explain motives rather than advancing the plot through action alone.

The term also appears in discussions of language style, where didascalic writing may emphasize clarity and instruction over ambiguity or aesthetic complexity. Some critics distinguish between effective didactic writing and didascalic overreach, arguing that the latter can lessen reader or viewer engagement.

See also: didacticism, didascalia, didascalic.