The effect of using light and darkness expressions in symbolism in english literature

Chapter III: The use of Light and Darkness expressions in symbolism in English literature in general.. Chapter IV: Analysis of the use of Light and Darkness expressions in symbolism in E

Acknowledgements

When preparing this Study I have met a lot of difficulties and intended

to give up many times, but thank to all the help of my teachers, friends andrelatives I keep trying and finally finish it Now I would like to acknowledgeall of you for encouraging me and standing beside me in my hard situation

Firstly, I am deeply grateful to my supervisor - Mr Tran Ngoc Tuong,lecturer of English - the department of Foreign Languages - Vinh University,whose direction and useful advice are invaluable to me

I would like to express special thanks to Mr Chris Staples, myexaminer, lecturer of English literature - the department of Foreign Languages

- Vinh University, who has helped me very much and always encourage me tocomplete the Study Thank you, Mr Chris! If it had not been for your teaching

of literature, I would not have love literature so much and certainly cannot do

paRT A: INTRODUCTION

1 The reasons for choosing the Study:

Literary language is very beautiful and rich in imagery What brings thisnature to literature? We, all the readers, critics and the authors of literaryworks themselves, are easily in agreement that words are the bricks andmortar of literature, and whatever appears in the authors’ mind must beexpressed through the words available in the language he knows Word choice

in literature is always made carefully Often words are chosen because of theirprecision or their ambiguity This means the chosen words must have theability to state the author’s ideas clearly and accurately, or they must havemore than one possible meaning, which leads to a wide range of suggestions

In the first case when the words are clear enough for the readers tounderstand, there will be no problems But in the second, the ambiguouswords may cause many difficulties to the process of interpretation by thereaders Even more difficulties emerge because not all words have universallyaccepted connotations built into them and writers often use many complicateddevices of metaphor and symbolism in literary production

How can we overcome this problem to perceive the total meaning ofliterature work? Mostly, if we enter the world of literature with an open andquestioning mind, we might be able to make out the implications, which theauthors suggest In that way, we will be able to understand the part of literaryworks where the writers use language connotatively We will be able torecognize the symbolic nature of actions, characters and objects As the

German literary critic Wolfgang Iser has commented, literary texts are“literary texts are

incomplete; they contain gaps that readers have to fill in ”

But how to interpret the symbolic meanings of the expressions used bywriters is often a big question We don’t usually understand the writers’intention fully I myself also find difficulty in understanding the imaginativelanguage And symbolism is the most difficult device to grasp for manyreaders I am really interested in this literary device so I want to study itdeeply I think that this may help me and anyone who reads my thesis inliterature perceptivity This is the reason why I choose this subject for mygraduation thesis

2 The aims of the Study:

The thesis is mostly aimed at helping readers of literature understand more

about one effective device in imagery language: symbolism So that they can

improve their ability of interpreting the literary production more fully

The other aims are:

- To distinguish between symbolism and other common devices ofimaginative language

- To analyze the use of the description of light and darkness in symbolism

3 The methods of the Study:

When doing this research, I used a number of methods They are thefollowing:

- Analytic method

- Systematic method

- Descriptive method

4 The scope of the Study:

This study includes three parts:

- Part A: Introduction

- Part B: The contents

- Part C: Conclusion

The contents consist of four chapters:

Chapter I: Theoretical background

Chapter II: Symbolism in literature

Chapter III: The use of Light and Darkness expressions in symbolism

in English literature in general

Chapter IV: Analysis of the use of Light and Darkness expressions in

symbolism in English literature

Part b: the contentsChapter 1 : theoretical background

1 The beauty of literature:

1.1 The definition of literature:

“literary texts areLiterature, in the widest sense, is just about anything written It is even what you receive in the mail if you send for free information about a weight-reducing plan or a motorcycle.” This definition of literature was

given by X J Kenedy in the preface of the book “literary texts areLiterature-An Introduction

to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama” X J Kenedy also defined literature in the

smaller sense as “literary texts area kind of art, usually written, which offers pleasure and illumination.” He said, it is usually written, for we have an oral literature,“literary texts are

too.”.

X J Kenedy’s definition is very similar to the definition of literature in the

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: “literary texts areLiterature contains the writings that are valued as works of art, especially fiction, drama and poetry (in contrast with technical books and newspapers, magazines, etc …) )

1.2 The beauty of literature:

Part of the beauty of all literature is that you discover that your“literary texts are

longings are universal longings, that you are not lonely and isolated from anyone You belong,” commented novelist and short story writer F Scott

Fitzgerald Why did he say so? We, human beings, always try to understandourselves, our emotions, our experiences and our relationships with others

We also attempt to find out our connections to larger social and culturalinstitutions One way that we can do so is through literature Every literarywork is created to reflect one specific side of the world in which we live.Thanks to literature, we come to a fuller awareness of ourselves and others

We discover both the uniqueness and the universality of human

“literary texts are

experience We explore both our own world and worlds we may never otherwise see”

2 Literary language :

Exploring literature is exploring and perceiving beauty It is becauseliterature has the duty to express beauty as its focus, that literary language isalways very beautiful and different from the spoken language we use every

day Authors of literary works usually transfer their ideas to readers byimaginative language It is always difficult to perceive all the values of aliterary work completely if you cannot perceive all the meanings put inliterary language One kind of literary language that is the most beautiful but

also the most difficult to understand is imagery-figurative language.

Imagery is a very important element in literature “literary texts areIt gives the texture ofthe literary works destiny and richness.” The imagery helps us to think clearlyabout what the authors are trying to say and feel clearly the emotions theywant us to feel Imagery also helps the writer very much When they find itdifficult to state one idea they may easily relate this idea to a particular andfamiliar thing and express their intention more effectively We will studyabout this in details in the following section

3 Imagery-figurative language:

3.1 The definition of imagery and figurative language:

3.1.1 Imagery:

Imagery has a great variety of meaning In its literal sense it means the

collection of images within a literary work or a unit of literary work

Imagery is language that creates images in the imagination or minds ofpeople reading or listening

Imagery, narrowly, language that embodies an appeal to the 5 senses,

particularly sight

3.1.2 Figurative language:

The term Imagery is often applied to all figurative language

( a general term covering the many ways in which language is used non literally: hyperbole, irony, metaphor etc -), language that is not intended to beinterpreted in a literal sense

Figurative language is language used for descriptive effect; it is not literal language, which states facts or ideas directly.

3.2 The image- important unit of imagery:

3.2 1 The definition of an image:

Imagery is words or phrases that create pictures or images in thereader’s mind Images are primarily visual; they also can appeal to othersenses as well: touch, taste, smell, and hearing

An image is an imaginative description or comparison that produces a

picture in the minds of the readers In other words, an image is a figure of

speech employed in such a way that something appears to have a greater

meaning than is implied in its literal sense

“literary texts are Any noun that refers to a visible object or a sensation is an image”

“literary texts areand “literary texts arethough the term image“literary texts are ” suggest a thing seen, when speaking ofimages we generally mean a word or sequence of words that refers to anysensory experiences” (X J Kenedy, literature)

The experience may be:

- a sight - in visual imagery

- a sound - in auditory imagery

- a touch - in tactile imagery

-an odor

-a taste

It may be a bodily sensation such as pain, the quenching of thirst, theperception of something cold For example:

“literary texts are The piercing chill I feel:

my dead wife s comb, in our bedroom, ’

under my heel …) ” .

(Taniguchi Buson, The Piercing Chill I Feel)

3.2.2 Using images in literature:

In literature, the authors often use language to create pictures in ourminds; this helps us to see things very clearly Imaginative description mightcause us to feel one thing suggestively through our other physical senses, such

as hearing or the sense of touch

Language

In works of literature we meet various images which authors useskillfully to make their ideas and characters vivid and memorable Forexample, when describing or indicating shapes, colors and specific details ofthings, the writers may suggest us to relate them to more abstract ideas.

In this way, what we are trying to imagine is described as somethingelse more familiar to us This means we must think of one thing as if it weresomething else Many such comparisons are frequently used in imagery-figurative language in English literature

4 Figures of speech – the most effective elements of imagery: the most effective elements of imagery:

We have studied about imagery and figurative language As I have said,

imagery gives concrete forms to ideas and feelings This linking of objects

and ideas is the basic of most imagery – the most effective elements of imagery:figurative language-language thatgoes beyond the literal denotation of the words by imaginatively extendingtheir meaning

Imagery and figurative language is created through many devices called

figures of speech In the next section we will come to learn about the most

difficult one: symbolism

5.Symbolism:

5.1 What is a symbol?

5.1.1 Definition:

- The national flag is supposed to bestir our patriotic feelings.

- A black cat is considered as good luck in England

To each of these, by custom, our society expects a standard response

A flag, a black cat- each is a symbol: a visible object or action thatsuggests some further meaning in addition to itself

“literary texts areIn literature, a symbol might be the word “literary texts areflag” or the clause “literary texts are a black

cat crossed his path” or every description of flag or cat in an entire novel,

story, play, or poem” ( X J Kenedy, Literarure)

The words “literary texts aresymbol” in the Greek means “literary texts areto throw together” This means

a symbol throws together objects, people, or actions and a meaning that is notnecessarily inherent in them

A symbol is a special kind of image, for it exceeds the usual image in“literary texts are

the richness of its connotations ” (X J Kenedy, Literature)

5.1.2 What can be a symbol?

A flag, a black all suggest things beyond themselves, and everyone islikely to understand what their display is meant to signify, whether or not theviewers share a commitment to what the objects represent

A symbol can be a character, for example, Satan in “literary texts areParadise lost” is a

symbol of evil and human pride

A symbol may be a part of a person’s body or a look, a voice…AccordingAccording

to a narrower definition, some readers prefer to say that a symbol is always aconcrete object, never an act

In a very literal sense, words themselves are all symbols They stand for

an object, action, or quality not just for letters or sounds But in literature,words or groups of words may have a range of reference beyond their literaldenotation The authors sometimes create a symbol out of a thing, action orevent, which has no previously agreed upon symbolic significance

5.1.3 What can not be a symbol?

There are some things a literary symbol usually is not A symbol is not

an abstraction Such term as “literary texts aretruth , death , love , justice” “literary texts are ” “literary texts are ” “literary texts are ” can not work

as symbols (unless personified) Most often, a symbol is something we cansee in the mind’s eye A symbol is usually not the second term of metaphor.5.1.4 The advantage of a symbol:

The great strength of a symbol is that, like some other figures of speech,

it renders the abstract in concrete terms and refers to what we can perceive

According to the poet Robert Frost, with a symbol, “literary texts area little thing touches a larger thing.” This power of suggestion that a symbol contains is, perhaps its

greatest advantage

In conclusion, “literary texts area symbol radiates hints or cast long shadows” ( X J.

Kenedy, Literature) We are unable to say it “literary texts arestands for ” or represents“literary texts are ”.exactly a thing It evokes, it suggests, it manifests It demands no singlenecessary interpretation, such as the interpretation a driver gives to a red

traffic light “literary texts areIn a symbol”., as Thomas Carlyle said in “literary texts areSartor Resartus”.,

“literary texts arethe infinite is made to blend with the finite, to stand visible, and as it were, attainable there.”.

5.2

Categories of symbols in literature:

We can divide symbols into two major categories, conventionalsymbols and contextual symbols.

5.2.1 Conventional symbols:

5.2.1.a The definition:

Conventional symbols are those that traditionally carry a particularmeaning

5.2.1.b Subclasses of conventional symbols:

 National or regional symbols :

Sometimes, the symbol is conventional only within a given culture Thismeans a specific symbol is controlled by a specific culture People living indifferent cultures may consider the meaning of an object differently Whendeciding the meaning of a symbol we should look at the particular tradition orbody of beliefs This characteristic makes the many symbols have national orregional features

For example :

The color yellow means the precious things or immortality toVietnamese people but means diseases to English people

 Universal symbols :

Many symbols have the same meanings over the world - in every

community - they are universal

For example:

- A sword is the symbol of fighting

- A rose suggests love or beauty

- A prison symbolizes confinement, constriction, and loss of freedom

- A cross may symbolize oppression, suffering, death , triumph or just theintersection of two separate things

 The archetypes of conventional symbols :

* There are many conventional symbols, which were not conventional

at first, but after along time being used and known by many people becomemore familiar and gradually go into the minds of people everywhere with thesame meaning In other words, many symbols have appeared so frequently

and for such a long time in the literatures or various cultures that theirmeanings seem to be natural These are known as “literary texts arearchetypes”

For example:

One such archetype is the description of the sun s movement from’

sunrise to sunset to symbolize aging in human beings This archetype

appears in such different literary works as:

The glorious lamp of Heaven, the Sun,“literary texts are

The higher he s a getting.’

The sooner will his race be run.

And never he s to setting’ ”

(Herrick, To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time)

*Readers acquire understanding of conventional archetypal symbols by

familiarity with a large number of works using them.

For example:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

“literary texts are

But I have to promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.”.

(Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening)

The repetition of the last line puts an additional stress on both “literary texts aremiles”.and “literary texts aresleep”., that the words imply more than they literally say Readersfamiliar with other literary works that use either a journey or sleep as symbolscan see this poem as using the conventional archetypal symbol of a journeytowards death, an additional implication that coexists with its surface meaning

of a journey on a winter’s night

5.2.1.c Using conventional symbols in literature:

Conventional symbols are part of the language of literature

 Such conventional symbols may be the basis of relatively simple ideas.

For example:

A rose is often considered as the symbol of beauty and love and we canmeet this symbol in many productions of literature.

“literary texts are Gather ye rose-buds while ye may”

(Herrick, To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time)

The above sentence develops the idea of living for the moment because, like a rose, youth and beauty fade.

 They may also develop more complex and even ambiguous ideas:

For example:

“literary texts are This rose is not so fragrant as a summer flower, but it has stood through hardships none of them could bear: the cold rain of winter has sufficed to nourish it, and its faint sun to warm it; the bleak winds have not blanched it, or broken its stem, and the keen frost has not blighted it Look, Gilbert, it is still fresh and blooming as a flower can be, with the cold snow even now on its petals - Will you have it?”.

(Anne Bronte,The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Page 474)

The above utterances are spoken by Helen- the heroine of the novel - toGilbert who she loves truly She is talking about the rose she has picked up for

Gilbert This rose is the symbol of their beautiful love The rose blooms in the

winter, “literary texts arenot so fragrant as a summer flower” The rose is still alive in spite ofthe cold rain, the faint sun, the bleak winds and the keen frost Helen andGilbert’s love is symbolized as the rose, which lasts through hardships andbecomes more and more beautiful Nothing can stop them loving each other as

nothing can stop the rose’s life Here the rose is the basis of the idea of everlasting love.

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,“literary texts are

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”.

(William Blake, The Tyger)

The tiger symbolizes, among other thins, fierceness and destruction.

But in: Aunt Jenifer s tigers prance across a screen,“literary texts are ’

Bright topaz denizens of a world of green,

They do not fear the men beneath the tree;

They pace in sleek chivalric certainty”.

( Andriene Rich , Aunt Jenifer’s Tigers)

The tiger symbolizes the repressed dreams of a conventional woman

5.2.2 b H ow a contextual symbol is built:

 The accumulation of details creates a contextual symbol.

For example:

I met a traveler from an antique land“literary texts are

Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert… Near them, on the sand

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command.

…

Nothing beside remains Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

(Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ozymandias)

In the above poem, the ruined statue of the pharaoh gradually becomes a

general symbol of mutability and the vanity of human desires.

The traveler says he saw two vast and trunkless legs of stone and the halfsunk shattered visage lying in the desert On the visage (face) the traveler saw

the frown and wrinkled lips, and sneer of old command These things make us

think of parts of a statue, which has been damaged The words “literary texts arevast” and

“literary texts arecolossal” tell us that it was once a very large statue It is the statue of

Ozymandias who considered himself as “literary texts areKing of Kings” He had the statuebuilt to show his greatness but that greatness can’t last forever and finally isdestroyed The statue becomes a symbol because of the author’s emphasis onits description

 In the very different details of the contexts the same thing or the same

object can be different symbols

Sometimes it’s very difficult for you to find out the right contextualsymbol if you do not pay attention to the context

(Wilfred Owen , The Send Off)

The above extract from the poem “literary texts areThe Send Off ,” the soldiers are givenflowers by their women These flowers carry the important symbols in them

In the soldiers’ departure, the flowers are the symbol of hope in victory, because when they departed, their forces were very strong, they had the

material and spiritual support from their country, they were hopeful of

winning the war But in the soldiers’ return, the flowers given to them on their graves become the symbol of thanks to their sacrifice At this time, the

flowers play a part as the memory of the deaths and losses

5.3 How to engage with the symbol to sense all of its meanings:

In the literary works using symbolism, which I have talked about earlier,why don’t the authors tell us directly what they mean? Why do they couchtheir meaning in symbols? By communicating through symbols instead ofstatements, they may be choosing the only kind of language appropriate to anidea of great subtlety and complexity And by their use of symbolism, theyafford us the pleasure of finding our entrance to their mind

But perceiving the meaning through symbols is not always easy forevery reader When reading a literary work, which contains symbols, many

readers may put the question: How am I supposed to know the symbol“literary texts are

when I see one?”

5.3.1.Reading the literary works carefully:

The best approach is to read the work closely, taking comfort in thelikelihood that it is better not to notice symbols at all than to find significance

in every small stone and huge meanings in everything

5.3.2 Paying attention to the concrete details:

In looking for the symbols, pick out all the references to concrete objects

Consider these with special care Notice the things that the authors emphasize

by detailed description, by repetition, or by placing at the very beginning or end You should ask yourselves: What is the work about, what does it add“literary texts are

up to? “literary texts are If, when the work is paraphrased, the paraphrase depends primarily

upon the meaning of certain concrete objects, these richly suggestive objectsmay be the symbols

5.3.3 Understanding about biographical, historical, and theoretical contexts: Furthermore, readers must be aware of the various biographical, historical,and theoretical contexts to find the symbols more meaningful and, therefore,more enjoyable Understanding biographical contexts is vital in constructingthe meaning of a symbol Because many symbols do not exist in isolationfrom the authors who write them

5.3.4 Understanding cultures:

Similarly, an understanding of cultures is sometimes essential First,

literary conventions and habits of expression change from generation togeneration, understanding these may help in understanding of works writtenduring an earlier period Second, what people of any age write reflects their

connection to the dominant culture of their time Literature may thus openly

express attitudes officially approved by a given society

5.3.5 Rereading literary works:

Finally, with the contextual symbols, the reader needs to note thecontribution of all parts of a work to discover the symbol’s inherent meaning.The contextual symbols are not always obvious During an initial reading,they may seem to be simply a part of the concrete description or narrativemovement of the literary work This is why rereading is important With eachrereading, a work becomes more familiar, and its details, patterns, andemphases- the elements that create contextual symbols- become moreapparent

Chapter 2:

The use of light and darkness expressions

in symbolism in English literature

1 General ideas about light:

1.1 Literal meaning and figurative meaning of light:

1.1.1 Literal meaning of Light:

“Light is the natural force that makes things visible” (Oxford

Advanced learners’ dictionary)

The usual sources of light are the Sun, lamps, fire etc

1.1.2 Figurative meaning of Light in literature:

Because of its literal meaning, we often relate light to many ideas ofgood things

Light lightens all the things covered by it Light brings life to every livingthings in the world If there is no light, the existence of human beings, variouskinds of animals, trees, and plant etc will be stopped immediately It’sbecause light is one of the most important elements of the environment inwhich living things exist

Thus, when we think of light, we think of life, and all the essential aspectsthat contribute to keep that life Life can be described as containing the variety

of good and bad features The good features help to maintain life correctly and

the bad features can destroy the life progress Light provides the potential

condition to life so we often compare light to life and the good features maintaining life, such as: love, victory, knowledge etc.

Now, I want you to remember once again the most beautiful feature ofliterature: Literature “literary texts arepresents enough lifelike qualities to help us betterunderstand ourselves and our world” From this point of view, we can see that

it is not difficult to understand why light is constantly considered as one of themost important factors of the settings of various literary works Describinglight is describing part of life

Light is always visual and brightens every thing under its influence Thebest way to perceive the existence of things is by seeing them With the help oflight, we can see other things, so that in the light, we can have the realization oflife That makes the image of light in our mind the image of various things.That is also the reason why it is taken very frequently in imagery and figurativelanguage of literature

And of course, the image of light is often used in symbolism to meanmany abstract ideas

1.2 Expressions conveying Light in literature:

I.2.1 Nouns used in the expressions indicating Light:

-beam: a strong ray of light (sunbeam, moonbeam)

-blaze: a bright flame/ fire

-brightness: the state of being bright

-brilliance: the state of being brilliant

-dazzle: a bright confusing light

-fire: a process of burning that produces light and heat and often smoke and flames

Half in dreams, he saw his sire With his great hands full of fire

( Robert P Tristram Coffin, The Secret Heart)-flame: a bright light

-flash: a sudden brief bright light or flame

-glare: a very bright and unpleasant light, especially sunshine

-glimmer: feeble or wavering light

-glitter: bright light, composed of many little flashes

-glow: a dull light

He wore, it seemed to his son

“literary texts are

A bare heart on his hidden one,

A heart that gave out such a glow”.

(Robert P Tristram Coffin, The Secret Heart)-lamp: a device for giving light, either by the use of electricity or, especially formerly, by burning gas or oil

-light: (sunlight, moonlight, daylight )

In the stillest hour of night“literary texts are

The boy awakened to a light”.

( Robert P Tristram Coffin, The Secret Heart)-match: a small stick used for lighting fires

The man had struck

“literary texts are a match to see

If his son slept peacefully.”.

(Robert P Tristram Coffin, The Secret Heart)

- moon: the natural body that moves round the earth once every

28 days and shines at night by light reflected from the sun

The grey sea and the long black land;“literary texts are

And the yellow half-moon large and low;”.

(Robert Browning, Meeting At Night)

-radiance: the state of being radiant

the moon shining so calmly and“literary texts are carelessly on, as little

influenced by my misery as I was by its peaceful radiance…)”.

(Anne Bronte, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Page 102)

-ray: a single line or narrow beam of light from a small or

distant source

a ray shone “literary texts are upon her unconscious form, peering under her eyelids and waking her ”.

(Thomas Hardy, Tess of D’Ubervilles)

-resplendence: the state of being resplendent

-sparkle/ spark: a flash of light

He held his palms each side

“literary texts are the spark”.

( Robert P Tristram Coffin, The Secret Heart)

-spurt: a sudden stream of lames

And blue spurt of a lighted match,“literary texts are

(Robert Browning, Meeting At Night)

-shaft: a long, thin line of light

-star: any one of the distant bodies appearing as point of light in the sky at night.

Little stars shone high up; little stars spread far away )“literary texts are (D H Lawrence, Son And Lovers)

- sun: the star that shines in the sky during the day and gives the earth heat and light

-sundown: the time when the sun goes down and night begins

-sunrise: the time of the rising of the sun

-sunset: the time when the sun goes down and night begins

-torch: a small electric lamp that runs on a battery and is held in the hand/ a piece of wood wrapped in oily cloth which is lit and held in the hand to give light

1.2.2 Adjectives used in expressions indicating Light:

-blazing: burning brightly and fiercely/ shining brightly

-bright: full of light/ shining strongly/ reflecting much light

Stars and sun, a few bright grains “literary texts are ”

(D H Lawrence, Son and Lovers)

-briliant: very bright/sparkling

If the sight had been a ghastly one in the dull morning, what “literary texts are

was it now, in all that brilliant light?”.

(Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist)

-dazzling: confusingly bright

-flaming: glowing brightly

-flashing: shining suddenly

-glaring: shining oppressively

-glistening: sparkling

-glittering: glistening

-radiant: shining or glowing brightly

“literary texts are The sun- the bright sun, that brings back, not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to man- burst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory”.

(Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist)

-resplendent: brilliant/ dazzlingly bright/ gloriously bright

-sparkling: shining with flashes of light

-sunny: bright with light from the sun

1.2.3 Verbs used in expressions indicating Light:

-to beam : to produce light and warmth

-to brighten: to become or make something /somebody brighter

-to blaze : to burn brightly and fiercely

-to dazzle: to make somebody unable to see properly for a while

because of too much light

-to emit : to give out light

-to flame : to burn with a bright flame / to glow and shine with the colour of flames

-to flash : to give or produce a of brief bright light / to make something shine briefly or sudden

-to glare: to shine with a very bright and unpleasant light / shine

dazzlingly or oppressively

-to gleam: to shine with a faint or brief light

.Not a light“literary texts are gleamed from any houses, far or near - all had

been extinguished long ago; ”

(Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights, page 134)-to glimmer: shine faintly

-to glisten: (of wet surfaces): to shine brightly

“literary texts are the stones glistening green-grey, the plain still a mass of shade”.

(Thomas Hardy, Tess of D’Ubervilles)

-to glitter: to shine brightly with little sharp flashes of light

-to glow : to emit light and heat without flame

-to illumine : to light up or make bright

-to kindle : to catch light / to set on fire

He held his palms each side the spark His love had kindled in the dark

(Robert P Tristram Coffin, The Secret Heart)-to light up: to make something bright

It “literary texts are lights up the room where the murdered woman lay ”.

(Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist) -to light: to provide something with light

“literary texts are One instant, it lit all about,”.

(Robert P Tristram Coffin, The Secret Heart)-to shine: to be bright

But it shone long enough for one

To know that hands held up the s un ”.

(Robert P Tristram Coffin, The secret heart)

-to sparkle: to shine brightly with flashes of light

2 General ideas about Darkness:

2.1 Literal meaning and figurative meaning of Darkness:

2.1.1 Literal meaning of Darkness:

“literary texts areDarkness is the state of being dark (means being with no or very littlelight)” (Oxford Advanced learners’ dictionary)

2.1.2 Figurative meaning of Darkness:

Looking at the two definitions, which define the two literal meanings oflight and darkness, we can see that light and darkness are two states opposite

to each other That makes us think of the figurative meaning of darkness asopposite to the figurative meaning of light: darkness means death, hate,failure…AccordingSo in literature light and darkness often convey opposite ideas

In fact, light and darkness are both the elements of settings of various events

in literary works When describing settings, authors often describe darkness andlight; and their description of darkness and light is always mean to have someeffect in expressing situations or characters’ feelings

2

2 Expressions conveying Darkness:

2.2.1 Nouns used in expression conveying Darkness:

-darkness : the state of being dark

There was no moon, and everything beneath lay in misty“literary texts are

-gloom: partial darkness

“literary texts are .The exaggeration which darkness imparted to the gloom of this region impressed Henchard more than he had expected…)”

(Thomas Hardy, The Mayor Of Casterbridge)

-murk : darkness, poor light

-night: the time of darkness in a day

Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out,“literary texts are

And makes himself an artificial night.”.

(William Shakespears, Romeo and Juliet, Act I , Prologue)

-obscurity: darkness, poor light

2.2 2 Adjectives used in expressions conveying Darkness:

-dark : with no or very little light