In extremis, when we are on the verge of death
The Latin phrase in extremis can be translated as “in the last moments” . The first meaning mentioned by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary refers to the final moments of life .
Some examples
For example: “The man forgave his brother in extremis and left in peace” , “It is strange that he decided to buy a car in extremis, when he knew he had little time left…” , “He got married in extremis to make various bureaucratic matters easier for his partner and his descendants” .
Throughout the three examples we see situations in which a person makes an important decision shortly before death. It is not unusual to change one's mind drastically when we know that we have little time left to live, but it is an attitude very typical of our species. This is due to the degree of clarity with which things are seen when death is approaching: it is not worth maintaining quarrels or resentments if we know that it is our last chance to resolve them.
Start at the end
In the field of narratology , the expression in extremis is used to refer to the order of the narrative when it begins at the end . In this way, it is distinguished from the narration ab ovo (which starts at the beginning) and the narration that begins in medias res (in the middle of the events).
An example of a work that begins in extremis is “The Tunnel” by the Argentine Ernesto Sabato ( 1911-2011 ). Published in 1948 , this short novel begins when Juan Pablo Castel indicates that he murdered María Iribarne . Throughout the story, the painter lists the reasons that led him to kill the woman.
This resource is a double-edged sword: if used well, it can bring very positive results in terms of the initial impact that the work causes on the reader ; otherwise, it can put off the desire to continue reading after just a few pages. Since the ending is told at the beginning, it is very important for the writer to reserve a few surprises throughout the narrative to maintain and renew interest.
Presenting the ending at the beginning does not mean revealing everything; on the contrary, it is nothing other than the closure, the last event of many others that precede it and, most importantly, that justify it. And this is the most important point: writing a novel with an in extremis beginning must be done in such a way that there is a balance between understanding that ending and the concerns it arouses. The first scene must be understood on a superficial level, but it must raise a host of questions that can be answered later.
It can also mean "at the last minute"
At the last minute
Another use of in extremis refers to something that is completed or occurs in the last minutes of a complex situation or just before the closing of a deadline : “The operation was completed in extremis, close to the deadline” , “The government is confident of reaching an agreement in extremis despite the negative forecasts of analysts” , “The Swedish striker scored the only goal of the match in extremis” .
Unlike the previous meaning, in this case we are not in the presence of death , but the expression indicates a less relevant end. Its meaning can be compared with other words such as at the last moment , in the last minute or in the final stretch . The similarity with the other meaning is that in both it is understood that there is not much time left to act. If we wait too long, then it is likely that our actions will be of no use.