- Meanings and interpretations of
- symbol HOUSE in literature and art
- By: Dr Vida Ahmadi Dana Kamran
- SYMBOL HOUSE is a notable and useful symbol in literary and artistic works . so many events in different stories , tales , novels, movies,paintings,operas, happen in different houses . Every one of them has special characteristics for it self.But I want to say that House has variety forms in literature and art, therefore cities,countries,temples,palaces,rooms,castles,shopes even prisons are different shapes of symbol HOUSE in literary and artistic works.Thus I mean by House here is more than general definition of this symbol.In my opinion house as a symbol can be not only a physical place but also a spiritual realm where belongs to a good or evil person in story.So according to my opinion, human’s thoughts and heart wills and also her or his situations and circumstances are indicated by symbol house
- I want to say that, symbol house by this widespread definition has 2 meanings and interpretations
- Psychological meanings and interpretations
- Social meanings and interpretations
- The first meaning indicates hero’s inner realms and ibdividuality and the second one, refers to her or his outer world and Collective issues
- I clarify these poins with two examples:in gulliver’s travels ,liliput country and its political system and government can be explained as a house or chateau d'if prison in alexandre duma’s novel count mont Christ are accounted for symbol house.But how?I explain it.In first example Gulliver’s travels,liliput is a dimension of symbol house with particular property
- The second example is on two kinds of houses
- A) A house for self-development and promotion I mean chateau dif prison
- B) Another house is a palace that Edmond Dantes or the count of monte Christo bought it after his transformation and finding Spada treasure
- Indeed in first house Edmond dantes knew himself and his potential abilities with help of Abbe Faria btter than past so in that time symbol house was a suffering prison because attaining knowledge is hard.But after his reformation his house was a palace.I mean that prison and this palace are symbols of Edmond’s self in two junctures. His self before and after transformation.This is a very considerable meaning for BECOMING
- On second example I should say beriefly that liliput as a country and society is a big house and its happenings refers to thoughts and decisions of its people
- With another word heros and good beings in stories have beautiful and shining houses but evils and wicked ones have dark and fearful houses .It is denotation of therir thoughts and heart wills
- But sometimes hero has bad and dark hous (like the first part of edmond dantes’s story) this is because of reforming and indicator of a great change and after his change also his prison turns into his palac
