Omniscient narrator

A narrator who can reveal the thoughts and feelings of different characters and comment on their behaviour.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings, as well as describe events beyond any one character’s knowledge.

Eliot’s omniscient narrator moves between public opinion, private thought and explanatory commentary. The opening first shows how Raveloe sees Silas, then reveals the history it cannot see. This order makes readers reconsider appearances: the apparently frightening recluse is an injured, honest man.

A narrator outside the story who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and explain events beyond any one character’s knowledge.

A narrative method in which a third-person narrator can reveal the thoughts and feelings of different characters and comment on their actions.

A narrator who can describe different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on their actions.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings, as well as explain events beyond any one character’s knowledge.

A narrator who can describe the thoughts and feelings of different characters, not just their outward behaviour.

A narrator outside the story who can reveal different characters’ thoughts, explain their motives and comment on their behaviour.

A narrator who can describe the thoughts and feelings of different characters and comment on their behaviour.

An all-knowing narrative voice that can describe characters’ thoughts and explain their motives, as Eliot’s narrator does when explaining Dolly’s use of “Them”.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on their behaviour.

A narrator who can describe different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on the wider significance of events.

A narrator outside the story who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings, as well as comment on their beliefs and actions.

A narrator who can describe different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on their behaviour.

A narrator who can reveal the thoughts, feelings and experiences of different characters rather than being restricted to one person's knowledge.

A narrator outside the story who uses third-person pronouns and can reveal the thoughts and feelings of more than one character.

Austen’s third-person omniscient narrator sometimes reveals Darcy’s thoughts directly, even though much of the story follows Elizabeth’s experience. Darcy is therefore not completely hidden from readers until his letter; rather, Austen gives us selected glimpses that Elizabeth herself lacks.

A narrator who can reveal the thoughts, feelings and histories of different characters.

The novel’s omniscient narrator moves between households, reveals hidden histories and explains thoughts that characters cannot see in one another. Godfrey acts as a foil to Silas: both want affection, but their different responses to Eppie produce different outcomes. The sixteen-year gap makes patient care and delayed responsibility central to the structure.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts, explain their histories and comment on events beyond any one character’s knowledge.

A narrator who can reveal the thoughts and feelings of different characters and comment on the wider significance of events.

A narrator who can reveal the thoughts and feelings of different characters and comment on their actions.

A narrator outside the story who can reveal the thoughts, feelings and experiences of different characters.

A third-person narrator who can reveal the thoughts and feelings of different characters and comment on their behaviour.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts, explain their histories and comment on their behaviour.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on their actions.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on their actions and beliefs.

A narrator outside the story who can describe different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on their behaviour.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings, as well as comment on their actions.

A narrator who can describe characters’ inner lives and move beyond individual perspectives to comment on events.

A narrator who can reveal the thoughts and feelings of several characters and comment on their conduct.

A narrator who can reveal different characters’ thoughts and feelings and comment on their behaviour.

A narrative voice that can reveal the thoughts, feelings and histories of different characters.

Definition

How each exam board covers it

Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0

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OCR GCSE English Literature · J352

Eduqas GCSE English Literature · C720