In medias res

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In medias res is a way of opening a story when its main events are already underway, rather than starting with their earliest causes. The Latin phrase means into the middle of things; earlier events may be explained later through memories, conversations, or flashbacks.

Ways in medias res opens a story

An ongoing conflict

The story opens within a struggle that began earlier. Readers encounter its immediate pressures before learning all its causes.

In The Iliad, the Trojan War has lasted for years when Achilles and Agamemnon quarrel over a captive woman. Their dispute becomes the poem’s central conflict.

In The Iliad by Homer

A journey already underway

The story joins travellers after they have left home. Earlier stages of the journey can be filled in later.

In The Aeneid, Aeneas and his companions are already travelling after the fall of Troy when a storm strikes their fleet. Aeneas later tells Dido about Troy’s destruction and his escape.

In The Aeneid by Virgil

How to spot in medias res

Check whether important events have happened before the opening scene.
Look for characters already caught in a journey, conflict, or difficult situation.
Notice whether later passages fill in the missing background.

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Does in medias res have to begin with action?

No, in medias res does not require a battle, chase, or other fast action. An opening conversation can qualify if it places readers inside events already underway. What matters is where the story begins in its sequence of events, not how exciting the first scene is.

What is the difference between in medias res and a flashback?

In medias res describes where a story begins, while a flashback takes readers back to an earlier event. A story that opens in medias res may use flashbacks to explain its background, but it can also supply that information through dialogue or brief explanations.