Date of Award
Fall 5-11-2024
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
English and Linguistics
Department Chair or Program Director
Jonathan Levin
First Advisor
Teresa Kennedy
Major or Concentration
English
Abstract
Will Butler
Professor Kennedy
ENGL_445K_01
Seminar: Epic Tradition
The Metaphor of Ekphrasis:
or Why does your Ekphrasis look different from mine?
Ekphrasis is the ultimate extrapolation of symbols and metaphors. It is a set of words purported to describe a physical object that carries its own symbolism and, sometimes, portrays allusions to other narratives. Like the idea of a sign, words represent ekphrasis but, like a metaphor, ekphrasis represents something other than itself. This paper illustrates how a narrative description of an object can be filled with emotion and imagery, while being interpreted in distinctly diverse ways by individuals reading the same text. The arbitrary nature of language and its interpretive effect on narrative were reviewed, before delving into the question of how humans cognitively create an image of an object. The paper explores the impact of history, cultural context, and the perspectives of the participants viewing ekphrasis, using the fresco at Carthage from the Aeneid, before concluding by illustrating the difference in ekphrastic interpretation by presenting different renditions of the shield of Achilles - the most famous ekphrastic image of all time.
Recommended Citation
Butler, William, "The Metaphor of Ekphrasis: or Why does your Ekphrasis look different from mine?" (2024). Student Research Submissions. 558.
https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/558