Symbolism is a literary device where objects or characters are used to represent abstract ideas, concepts, or themes. It allows writers to convey deeper meanings and enhance the richness of their work beyond literal interpretations.
Symbols can either be universal, such as light representing hope or darkness representing despair. They can be culturally specific, such as the nightingale representing chastity in Elizabethan-era poetry. Other times, symbols translate differently across cultures.
For example, in Western European tradition, dragons represent evil, destruction, and greed. In Chinese tradition, they represent good fortune, protection, and bounty.
Lastly, symbols can be highly specific to a poet or writer or to a particular work. For example, in Yeat’s “Wild Swans at Coole,” the swans are mythic representations of eternal art and beauty and the passion they inspire.
D. H. Lawrence, in his poem “Bat,” uses bats to represent something abstract. He does not explicitly state what it is, but we can guess based on his descriptions.
Lawrence, “Bats” (1923):
Dark air-life looping
Yet missing the pure loop ...
A twitch, a twitter, an elastic shudder in flight
And serrated wings against the sky,
Like a glove, a black glove thrown up at the light,
And falling back.
Never swallows!
Bats!
. . .
Bats, and an uneasy creeping in one's scalp
As the bats swoop overhead!
Flying madly.
Pipistrello!
Black piper on an infinitesimal pipe.
Little lumps that fly in air and have voices indefinite, wildly vindictive;
Wings like bits of umbrella.
Bats!
Creatures that hang themselves up like an old rag, to sleep;
And disgustingly upside down.
Hanging upside down like rows of disgusting old rags
And grinning in their sleep.
Bats!
In China the bat is symbol for happiness.
Not for me!
The poet is clearly creeped out by bats. That’s obvious. But there is something more going on here when we take a closer look at his descriptions.
The bats are described as “Little lumps that fly in air and have voices indefinite, wildly vindictive” and they have “wings like bits of umbrella.” He finds them ugly and disgusting. He even mentions that in China they are symbols of happiness, but not for him. The bats in the poem likely symbolize the opposite of life and living it to the fullest.
Why writers use symbolism
Writers use symbolism to deepen their storytelling. Let’s take a look at the specific reasons why they would do so:
1. It makes ideas concrete. It helps them to communicate abstract ideas in a tangible and relatable way. By linking an idea or emotion to a concrete object or image, authors can make complex concepts more accessible and evocative. For instance, a rose may symbolize love, beauty, or the fleeting nature of life.
2. It enriches readers’ experiences. Symbolism also enriches the reader’s experience by creating multiple layers of interpretation. This encourages readers to actively engage with the text, finding personal and diverse meanings in the symbols.
3. It helps to establish mood. Through symbols, writers can subtly suggest themes or emotions without explicitly stating them. For example, a storm brewing in the background might represent impending conflict or turmoil.
4. It helps in creating a unifying effect. Finally, symbolism often serves as a unifying thread throughout a work. Recurring symbols can reinforce central themes, connect different parts of the story, and make the narrative more cohesive.
Examples of Symbolism in literature
1. Hawthorne, “The Birthmark” (1843):
Georgiana is the wife of the brilliant scientist Alymer. Alymer loves his wife who is beautiful and almost perfect, except for a birthmark on her cheek. He comes up with an elixir to “heal” his wife of the birthmark. Here is an excerpt describing Alymer’s premonition about going ahead with “healing” his wife:
Aylmer now remembered his dream. He had fancied himself with his servant Aminadab, attempting an operation for the removal of the birthmark; but the deeper went the knife, the deeper sank the hand, until at length its tiny grasp appeared to have caught hold of Georgiana's heart; whence, however, her husband was inexorably resolved to cut or wrench it away.
Alymer ignores his premonition and tries to find a scientific cure for his wife’s birthmark. He succeeds. However, Georgianna dies as a result. Georgiana’s birthmarks represent the relationship between beauty and nature.
The birthmark represents imperfection in nature and the idea that nothing perfect belongs to the earth or nature. It is not natural. The minute Georgianna loses her birthmark, she begins to die.
2. Yeats, “Sailing to Byzantium” (1928):
An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but studying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.
Byzantium in Yeat’s poetry represents a deeply personal and mysterious conception of a magical-spiritual destination that allows him to escape the pain and decay of old age.
3. Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” (1923):
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
The woods are a symbol that represents complete freedom from the conventional social obligations (or promises) that humans have.
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Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, November 18). What Is Symbolism? https://www.eminentediting.com/post/what-is-symbolism |
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