By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Throughout various cultures and in numerous literary and mythological traditions, the butterfly represents life. In a range of ways, butterflies symbolise the life spirit, long life, or even the ability to be reborn.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
What connects the tiger with Voldemort and with lead, that chief alchemical metal? Was Winnie the Pooh friends with a tiger or not? Let’s throw ourselves head-first into the tiger’s mouth – and into the fascinating and rich history of tigerish symbolism, covering poetry, mythology, and much else.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Autumn is at once symbolic of plenty, ripening, harvest, and abundance; and, at the same time, a symbol of decay, decline, old age, and even death, with associations of things being past their prime. To understand this we need to look at how writers have depicted autumn in poetry and other literature.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
What is the significance of teeth in religion, mythology, and literature? There should be a link: teeth are obviously, like the tongue, instrumental and essential in oral culture and so we might expect to find a strong link between teeth and the composition of poems and songs. And sure enough, we do.
But there are also the symbolic connotations of teeth in works of literature and in various religious and cultural traditions. Let’s take a closer look at the surprising symbolism of teeth.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Horses have been the close and useful companions and servants of humans for many millennia, and over that time they have become associated with a number of symbolic properties. But what is the symbolic significance of the horse in literature and mythology?
Let’s take a closer look at the symbolism of horses down the ages.