In literature, a character or location that is irregular, extravagant or fantastic in form. When used as a
device, the purpose is often in the style of
expressionism, making the grotesque a
parody of human qualities or a distorted reflection of a familiar place.
In literature, when grotesque characters can sometimes more worthy than conventional ones, the intention is usually to point out that we judge by appearances, instead of looking for the personality beneath. This is a common device of fairytales, as in ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
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