What is the difference between theme, motif, leitmotif and symbol?
Theme, motif and symbol can have different meanings. But the leitmotif is a specific melody that is played for a specific character in Operas of the romantic period such as Wagnerian operas, in fact he invented it as I recall. That leitmotif is used when they sing an aria or recitative. It is also in the background music when they are on stage. So I would say it doesn’t belong on the list. A symbol is a thing or picture or object that is used to represent something. Theme and motif are pretty much the same thing. They are usually not symbolic and not used so much to represent anything as to define it.
