Simon Gregorčič uses numerous examples of metaphors, symbols and allegorys from the natural
world in all of his poems. With these themes the poet shows his internal emotional experiences
and his views on the world, and on the other hand he portrays his visual impressions, which can in
some cases also have a literal meaning. If we stop at the subject of metpahors, there are some
differences when we compare the first and the third collection of poems Poezije, where the specific
motifs from nature are more frequent in one collection than the other, or they have different
meanings. This corresponds with the poet's biographical background, because some motifs were
used in his periods of hardship, and we also have to take into account the time difference and with
that the poet's age at the time of publishing the first and the third volume. Some natural themes
can become a means of expressing nostalgia and idyllicness, which we can notice when it comes
to metaphors that represent mountains, others on the other hand can become symbols, for example,
the olive branch, which symbolizes peace, life, and hope, and also appears as part of biblical motifs.
Flowers, for instance, in Gregorčič's work are a metaphor for youth, beauty, and tenderness, while
also representing transience and old age, especially in the third volume of Poezije. The motif of
birds is also interesting, where the bird can either be addressed by the lyrical subject, who identifies
with said bird, or the bird that is caged becomes a metaphor for the poet himself, who sees his life
reflected in her captivity in the cage. Gregorčič describes life with the metaphor of the sea, across
which his boat sails, while another poem presents waves as an unforgiving fate that crashes into
the poet, who defies it and remains steadfast.
|
