Use of Symbols in the Poetry of Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas makes extensive use of natural, conventional and private symbols to convey complex psychological states to his readers. He draws symbols from different branches of sciences, philosophies, myths, legends, literature, history, occult knowledge, Bible etc.

'Poem in October' ‘contains various types of symbols. In the beginning of the poem the poet finds a heron on the shore. To him the heron becomes a symbol of sacredness and is regarded as a priest sitting on the seashore. The waves of the ocean rising high seem to the poet a kind of prayer to heaven on the occasion of his birthday. The call of the seagull coming from the shore, the crowing of the rooks from the wood and the knock of the sailing boats near the harbour, overhung with fishermen’s nets, symbolize an invitation to the poet to wake up and come out to enjoy the beauty of nature. The ‘winged trees’ symbolize the poem in which the poet celebrates his birthday. ‘Water-birds and birds of the winged trees fly my name’- Here birds flying over the farms and white horses seem to celebrate his birthday by proclaiming his name.

The word “Dylan” in English means ‘High Tide’ and so the birds may simply be flying the waves which are rising high. The line may simply be the fantasy of the schizoid individual or it may refer to the present poem in which Dylan celebrates his birthday, or it may be merely the high tides which to the poet’s imagination seem to be flying so high on the wings of the bird. ‘The white horses’ symbolize something highly desirable. ‘And I rose in rainy autumn’ signifies that the poet was born in October which is a month of Autumn. ‘High tide and the heron dived’- Here diving of the high tide ad the heron symbolizes the disappearance of the poet’s dream; the fantasy-world into which he escaped a moment ago is broken, and he has come to reality. Again the bright weather above the hill, spring and summer symbolizes a world of escape from the harsh reality, while the cold and rain below symbolizes the painful reality which cannot be avoided for any length of time.

Further the ‘tall tales’ symbolizes imagination and fancy, while ‘the gardens of spring and summer’ stand for the beautiful glorious world as re-created by the imagination of the poet. ‘The weather turned around’ signifies the fact that his escape into the fantasy world of boyhood was short –lived. The phrase ‘the other air’ symbolizes the vision and memory of childhood. ‘Parables’ and ‘Legends’ stand for the wonders and glorious vision of childhood, while the woods symbolically become green chapel. Thus the whole poem is replete with symbols and symbolic expressions of various types.

To sum up, Dylan’s symbols are complex and many-sided. Most of them are not universal but private symbols, devised by Dylan for his own use. Their complexity sometimes, gives rise to obscurity. Hence the reader should approach his subject very carefully; otherwise misunderstanding or misinterpretation may occur at any moment.