Oscar Wilde

The Symbolist era of literature boasted poets ranging from W.B. Yeats to T.S. Eliot to Oscar Wilde. Symbolist poetry relied heavily on aesthetics as symbols (surprise) of the state of the writer’s soul. Initially and on the surface, symbolist poetry doesn’t  appear to have any particular deep meaning, but most symbolist poetry isn’t written merely to describe pretty flowers; it is meant to have a genuine meaning obscured behind that initial layer of crypt. Dreams or dream-like states were featured prominently in symbolist poetry and art, and themes often included a comparison between sleeping and waking life. Symbolist poetry placed beauty and form over any sort of political objective; poets often attempted to make their poems sound “mellifluous” or similar to music.

“Symphony in Yellow” – Oscar Wilde

An omnibus across the bridge
Crawls like a yellow butterfly,
And, here and there, a passer-by
Shows like a little restless midge.

Big barges full of yellow hay
Are moored against the shadowy wharf,
And, like a yellow silken scarf,
The thick fog hangs along the quay.

The yellow leaves begin to fade
And flutter from the Temple elms,
And at my feet the pale green Thames
Lies like a rod of rippled jade.

Oscar Wilde’s poem “Symphony in Yellow” has plenty of that aestheticism we just talked about. As far as meaning goes, I honestly don’t know. I’m sorry for copping out.