Mise en Abyme
A work containing a smaller copy of itself — a play within a play, a painting showing the room it hangs in, a story about someone writing this story.
Full definition of Mise en Abyme →:: COMPARE ::
Mise en abymevsFrame narrative
The short answer
A frame narrative simply nests one story inside another. Mise en abyme requires resemblance — the inner work must mirror the outer one. Nesting is structural; mise en abyme is a comment.
Side by side
| Aspect | Mise en abyme | Frame narrative |
|---|---|---|
| Requires resemblance | Yes | No |
| Is a comment on the whole | Yes | Not necessarily |
| Origin | Heraldry | Ancient storytelling |
| Depth | Potentially infinite | Usually two levels |
What each one means
Frame narrative
The contrast above sets out how Frame narrative differs from Mise en Abyme on the points that actually matter.