Essay # 2 Tone and Symbolism in "Medusa"

Poems are unique writings that encourage readers to vividly imagine the stories and words that a writer presents. The poem, “Medusa” written by Clark Ashton Smith describes a world where a female monster named Medusa exists. This figure turns people into stone if they see her face directly and leads the world into darkness and destruction. The author, one of the famous American poets, had written series of poems on fantasy and horror, and science fictions. This poem came to my attention because it is based on Greek mythology which I loved to read about for many years. I was able to see how the author utilizes tone and symbolism to describe our own world in connection to this mythological story.

One characteristic of a poem that expresses a writer’s emotions or feelings is tone. For example, in “Medusa,” the overall emotion or mood of the poem is depressing and hopeless. Clark Smith uses many words that bring up the images of death and darkness such as “glooms,” “livid dawns,” and “murkiness.” The author emphasizes that there is no hope in the land where Medusa takes control of. He said, “The land is claimed of Death” This means that people are dying by looking at Medusa’s eyes and all the creatures in the land are being cursed. There is no hope to keep Medusa from destroying the land and the people. Death became their destiny.

Symbolism is another technique that a poet uses to describe objects or living things beyond reality of themselves. Understanding symbols in poems helps readers to perceive what the true meaning of the words is and what the author is really trying to say in his or her writing. Clark Ashton Smith also uses a lot of symbols in his poem. The general definition of the “sun” is the star that shines in the sky during the day but Smith might be actually referring it to hope or good future. Moreover, Medusa who is an actual character from Greek mythology might rather symbolize something that makes us stone or despair in our own reality such as poverty, ethnic wars and diseases. Therefore, in poems, most words could carry different meanings beyond themselves.

In conclusion, “Medusa” is not just a creepy, scary poem about a horrible being from Greek mythology. This poem may reflect on Clark Ashton Smith’s own life or the society he had lived in. He had suffered from psychological disorder and was poor for most of his life. Based on his experience, he might want us to think through what are some of the factors that lead us to failure or even death.



(Works Cited)
http://www.blackcatpoems.com/s/medusa.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Ashton_Smith
http://www.webwinds.com/thalassa/medusa.htm