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| Metaphors: the bow of love the shield of rationality the arrow has hit home the seed of sorrow germinating and sprouting each teardrop revealed her sorrow (that is, the onlooker noticed her tears and inferred that she was in love) Similes: Her cheeks were like yellow tulips Love and musk (musk - a perfume which is easy to detect because of its strong smell) These metaphors and similes are commonly used in Europe and Asia when talking about love. Falling in love is so mysterious that the ancient Greeks thought it was caused by a god - they called him Cupid - who fired an invisible arrow at the person. Falling in love is rather like the inspiration which causes a poet to compose a poem. The bow of love You may find in other poems the expressions Cupid's bow, Cupid's dart, Cupid's arrows. In traditional philosophy the heart is said to be the place of emotions as the head is of thoughts. Therefore Cupid's arrows must hit the heart. (This heart is not necessarily the same as the blood pump.) The shield of rationality This is the metaphor which says something like: Our reason may tell us that it is painful, or foolish, to fall in love, but although thinking can protect us from some kinds of danger, love is so strong that thinking about it will not prevent it. The metaphorical method of saying it is shorter and better. Here is another passage from the same book. It describes how Zuleikha falls in love with Yusuf, even though she only sees him in a dream. It happened one sweet night, sweet as the dawn of life, full of the exhilaration of youth. In the palace bustling life had drawn in its feet beneath the hem of its robe; and nothing stirred: only the stars had their eyes open. Night, like a thief, had robbed the guards of all sensation. The dogs had |
their tails wound
about their throats, as if to stifle any bark. Sweet sleep weighed down Zuleikha's eyelids. The silky threads of her tousled locks traced pictures on her rosy cheeks. The eyes that see the form of things were closed in sleep; but those other eyes, the eyes of her heart, were wide open: and with them she saw a youth; or rather a pure spirit, a radiant apparition from the realm of pure light, eclipsing the houris in the garden of eternity. His form was like a slender tree; his nobility of hearing put even the proud cypress to shame. His hair, hanging in chainlike ringlets, was enough to fetter the reason of the wisest mortal. Sun and moon bowed down before the radiance of his brow. His eyebrows were like bows, shooting the arrows of his lashes into every heart. When he smiled, his pearly teeth flashed between his ruby lips like lightning at sunset. The strength of his arms contrasted with the slenderness of his waist. p14 Yusuf and Zuleikha by Jami translated by David Pendlebury (Octagon 1980) Few modern writers - Jami lived 500 years ago - would use as many metaphors and similes as in this passage - though try Raymond Chandler "The Big Sleep". You should not try to imitate it, as modern readers, at least in Britain and America, do not like this sort of thing unless it is obviously old. But of course fashions change, and could change again. Some metaphors: life had drawn in its feet beneath the hem of its robe night had robbed the guards Some similes: one sweet night, sweet as the dawn of life night, like a thief It is not always easy to decide what is a simile and what is a metaphor. In reading literature for pleasure it doesn't matter much. What matters is that you be affected by them as the author intends. |
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