Literary notes about plaudits (AI summary)
Literary usage of the term "plaudits" typically conveys the notion of enthusiastic applause or praise awarded to an individual or achievement. Authors often employ it to denote a formal tribute—whether from a captivated audience, a grateful nation, or even critics—thereby emphasizing both the emotional and public validation of a performance or deed. For instance, the term is used to capture the exuberance of a crowd in theatrical settings, as in instances where a royal figure bows amid the accolades of his subjects ([1]) or where an opera's success is marked by resounding applause ([2]). In other narratives, "plaudits" subtly underscore the bittersweet or even ironic nature of acclaim, as when personal triumph is overshadowed by internal dissension despite the loud cheers ([3]). This versatility makes "plaudits" a prized word in literature, richly evoking the multifaceted experience of honor and recognition ([4]).
- The King bowed right and left in acknowledgment of the plaudits, and the performance of the evening was kept long in waiting.
— from The Last Leaf Observations, during Seventy-Five Years, of Men and Events in America and Europe by James Kendall Hosmer - The ballet at length came to a close, and the curtain fell amid the loud, unanimous plaudits of an enthusiastic and delighted audience.
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - The critics were fulsome in their praise and the public was lavish with its plaudits, but I was abjectly miserable.
— from The Fifth String by John Philip Sousa - “As soon as the ci-devant queen left the Conciergerie to ascend the scaffold, the multitude cried out brava in the midst of plaudits.
— from Jane Austen and Her Times by G. E. (Geraldine Edith) Mitton
