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Literary notes about panache (AI summary)

The term panache is deployed with remarkable versatility in literature, serving both as a literal ornament and as a metaphor for spirited flair and elegance. In some contexts, it refers to a tangible adornment—a plume or a crest on a helmet or hat that signals rank, courage, or decorative style as vividly depicted in descriptions of knights or military figures ([1], [2]). In other texts, however, writers employ panache to evoke an abstract quality of dashing sophistication or emotional vibrancy; for instance, Maeterlinck uses it symbolically to represent the lively psyche ([3]), while its metaphorical sense is also echoed in commentary on dramatic character or stylistic nuance ([4]). This multifaceted usage enriches both the visual and emotional landscapes of literary narratives, making panache a dynamic emblem of both physical ornamentation and charismatic individuality.
  1. On his head was a panache of plumes of the royal green, waving gracefully in the light breeze.
    — from Sketches of Aboriginal LifeAmerican Tableaux, No. 1 by V. V. Vide
  2. Close behind him rode a knight in black armour, with a sable panache on his helm.
    — from The Star-Chamber: An Historical Romance, Volume 2 by William Harrison Ainsworth
  3. Maurice Maeterlinck employs the symbol instead of the sword; the psyche is his panache.
    — from Iconoclasts: A Book of Dramatists Ibsen, Strindberg, Becque, Hauptmann, Sudermann, Hervieu, Gorky, Duse and D'Annunzio, Maeterlinck and Bernard Shaw by James Huneker
  4. There had been plenty of problem plays, or pieces à thése , as the French say; "Cyrano" was a piece à panache .
    — from Cyrano de Bergerac: An Heroic Comedy in Five Acts by Edmond Rostand

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