metadiegetische

Metadiegetische is a term used in narratology to denote a narrative level that exists within the diegesis of a story. The word combines meta- and diegetic to indicate a layer of storytelling that is itself inside the world of the main narrative, one level deeper than the primary events.

In this usage, the diegesis refers to the world and events depicted within the story. A metadiegetic layer arises when a character within that world tells, performs, or presents another narrative that is sequenced as a separate plot or discourse. The main action remains diegetic, while the nested tale operates as a distinct, embedded narrative.

Examples include a character recounting a story within the story, a film-within-a-film depicted as part of the diegesis, or a book recovered by a character that contains its own narrative. Metadiegetic content is often contrasted with extradiegetic material (narration outside the story) and with the broader diegetic level.

Scholarly discussions often address how metadiegetic layers influence interpretation, audience awareness, and the sense of artificiality or self-reflexivity. Related concepts include metalepsis, frame narrative, and nested narratives in literature and cinema.

See also: diegesis, extradiegetic, frame story, metalepsis, nested narrative.