The Phases of Day and Night as Symbolism in Dr. Heidegger's Experiment
Frequent
allusions to the phases of the day and night, and their respective
illumination or darkness, are used to echo the key themes
in Dr. Heidegger's Experiment through symbolism. Light, in any
form, is deeply symbolic of knowledge, and for that reason words
describing light (brilliance, bright) are commonly synonymous with
intelligence (wordnik n.d.), while “dimness” is synonymous for
stupidity (wordnik n.d.), and darkness: “Can be an emblem of bad
judgment, misfortune and ignorance” (Protas
et al. 2001). Dusk; the time at after the sun has
fallen below the horizon (NIST 2011), is used as a cryptogram to
reference to the foolishness of Dr. Heidegger's friends.
Sunrise
is symbolic of rebirth and resurrection (Protas et al. 2001), and the
the water's power granted the experiment's subjects opportunity to be
young again without repeating past ignorance when; "...the
shadows of age were flitting from it like darkness from the crimson
daybreak.” The water from the fountain of youth itself is said to
cast illumination in the darkness:
“It was now so nearly sunset
that the chamber had grown duskier
than ever, but a mild and moonlike splendor gleamed from
within the vase...”
The
contrast of the darkness and light symbolism here emphasises the
opportunity for revitalisation against the foolishness of those
gifted with it, through invoking once more the symbolism of dimming
light to represent the misfortune and ignorance which characterise
the experiment's participants. Whatever the illusion of brilliance,
and the chance for a reawakening offered by the fountain of youth; it
is unable to transform the inner ignorance and foolhardiness of the
participants:
“Yet, by a strange deception,
owing to the duskiness of the chamber and the antique dresses
which they still wore, the tall mirror is said to have reflected the
figures of the three old, gray, withered grand-sires ridiculously
contending for the skinny ugliness of a shrivelled grandam.”
References
NIST.
2011. Times of day. http://www.nist.gov/pml/div688/times.cfm
(accessed
March 4, 2013).
Protas,
A., G. Brown, J. Smith, and E. Jaffe. 2001. Darkness.
(accessed
March 5, 2013).
Protas,
A., G. Brown, J. Smith, and E. Jaffe. 2001. Dawn.
(accessed
March 5, 2013).
wordnik.
n.d. Bright. http://www.wordnik.com/words/bright
(accessed
March 5, 2013).
wordnik.
n.d. Dim. http://www.wordnik.com/words/dim
(accessed
March 5, 2013).
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