Poetry+Symbol

A symbol in Poetry is very similar to a symbol in prose: 'something' that represents 'something' else. The first 'something', the actual symbol, is supposed to be a concrete object or material. This means that a symbol is a piece of furniture, a book, a castle but a symbol **IS NOT** anger, sorrow, or dialogue. This is a critical distinction, because people often believe that feelings or emotions are 'symbols' of something else. I respectfully disagree. For example, his joy **does not** symbolize his criticism of genocide; his joy might portray his criticism, might represent it, but it **does not** symbolize his criticism.

The leaf (above) could symbolize the will to live.

It is argued that the symbol represents something greater than itself; the concrete object or material represents something abstract: an idea or an ideal.

For example, in Phillip Larkin’s “Love Songs In Age” (below) the love songs symbolize her longing for youth. The mention of the love songs, followed by the ‘unfailing sense of being young’ represent the affect they –the love songs- have on the widow. Therefore, the love songs are a symbol, representing her longing for youth.

//She kept her songs, …// //She found them, looking for something else, and stood// 

//Relearning how each frank submissive chord// //Had ushered in// //Word after sprawling hyphenated word,// //And the unfailing sense of being young//

Another example of a symbol is in Larkin’s “An Arundel Tomb” (below). The ‘Latin names around the base’ symbolize the ignored truth. In the poem the speaker describes a statue of an earl and countess holding hands and throughout the rest of the poem the speaker questions whether the earl and countess are really in love, or if was/is just a charade. The ‘Latin names’, describing the statue above, are a symbol of the ignored truth because the names are ignored and only the statue is studied.

//They would not think to lie so long.// //Such faithfulness in effigy// //Was just a detail friends would see:// //A sculptor’s sweet commissioned grace// //Thrown off in helping to prolong// //The Latin names around the base.//

(Everything above is personal interpretation – feel free to disagree)

