Literature Color Symbolism
The Color of Literature
Color symbolism can be used to set the tone of a story and aspects within that story. Colors can invoke an emotional response as well as paint a picture of a character or scene within the story. In exploring the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Damrosch, Pike 1200-59) along with Christopher Columbus’ letter The Green and Beautiful Land (Columbus 1-7) there are three main colors that stand out. The first color, as shown in both titles, is green. Green plays a significant role in both tales as it is the main color of the antagonist in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the supple landscape that is described by Columbus. Green also represents negative aspects in the stories such as misfortune and lack of experience. The second color that is emphasized is yellow, or gold. Gold is woven throughout each tale with varying meanings, ranging from vitality to deceit. The final color that is significant is red. Red not only sets the tone for strength and aggression but is used to describe the scenery. Both authors let these colors stand out on their own as well as lacing them together to paint vivid pictures in the reader’s imagination. Color symbolism plays a leading role in the nature and meaning of both stories.
The color green symbolizes nature, good luck, and renewal as well as inexperience, jealousy and misfortune (Rohrer; Smith). In both writings, green has the significant meaning. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the most noticeable reference to green is toward the beginning of the story when the Green Knight appears on a green horse wielding a green axe in one hand and a green holly bough in the other. The Green Knight is a giant of a man, entirely green from his bushy hair to his bare feet with broad shoulders and a narrowing waist so his image portrays that of a tree (Kelly), showing the symbolism of nature. The saddle blanket on the horse is bright green and embroidered with birds and flies (Damrosch, Pike 1207),
Color symbolism can be used to set the tone of a story and aspects within that story. Colors can invoke an emotional response as well as paint a picture of a character or scene within the story. In exploring the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Damrosch, Pike 1200-59) along with Christopher Columbus’ letter The Green and Beautiful Land (Columbus 1-7) there are three main colors that stand out. The first color, as shown in both titles, is green. Green plays a significant role in both tales as it is the main color of the antagonist in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the supple landscape that is described by Columbus. Green also represents negative aspects in the stories such as misfortune and lack of experience. The second color that is emphasized is yellow, or gold. Gold is woven throughout each tale with varying meanings, ranging from vitality to deceit. The final color that is significant is red. Red not only sets the tone for strength and aggression but is used to describe the scenery. Both authors let these colors stand out on their own as well as lacing them together to paint vivid pictures in the reader’s imagination. Color symbolism plays a leading role in the nature and meaning of both stories.
The color green symbolizes nature, good luck, and renewal as well as inexperience, jealousy and misfortune (Rohrer; Smith). In both writings, green has the significant meaning. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the most noticeable reference to green is toward the beginning of the story when the Green Knight appears on a green horse wielding a green axe in one hand and a green holly bough in the other. The Green Knight is a giant of a man, entirely green from his bushy hair to his bare feet with broad shoulders and a narrowing waist so his image portrays that of a tree (Kelly), showing the symbolism of nature. The saddle blanket on the horse is bright green and embroidered with birds and flies (Damrosch, Pike 1207),
Cited: Columbus, Christopher. The Green and Beautiful Land. Handout. Georgia Gwinnett College. 19 Aug 2011. Damrosch, David, David L. Pike, and general editors. The Longman Anthology of World Literature. Compact ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008. 1200-59. Print. Kelly, Keith. Class lecture on the Age of Enlightenment. Georgia Gwinnett College. 9 Sep 2011. Rohrer, Ken. “Color Symbolism and Culture.” Incredible @rt Department. Princeton Online, 2011. Web. 28 Sep 2011. http://www.princetonol.com/groups.iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm Smith, Kate. “A Glimpse into the Meaning, Symbolism & Psychology of Color.” Sensational Color. N.p., 2011. Web. 28 Sep 2011. http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/psychology-of-color-a-glimps-into-the-meaning-symbolism-psychology-of-color.html