What is the Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory of the color purple in relation to wisdom?
I attended the musical play The Color of Purple based on a fictional novel. Frankly I never read the novel or really understood the symbolism of the color purple as it related to the novel. I enjoyed the spirited dancing and singing and the “good” ending surprised me.
The Purpose of This Post
Is to share what I learned about the colors of purple and how it relates to the wisdom of King Solomon,
King Solomon
I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. (Ecclesiastes 3:10)
5 Your head crowns you like Carmel,
and your flowing locks are like purple;
a king is held captive in the tresses. (Song of Solomon 7:5)
and your flowing locks are like purple;
a king is held captive in the tresses. (Song of Solomon 7:5)
Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. (Proverb 22:2)
A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth. (Ecclesiastes 7:1)
and the day of death better than the day of birth. (Ecclesiastes 7:1)
Symbolism and Imagery of Purple
In Ancient Times,
The rarity of purple in nature and the expense of creating its dye gave it a great deal of prestige. It was the most expensive dye known to the ancient Israelites in the Bible. It was the color of choice for those of noble or royal birth or those who were high-level officials. Roman Emperors wore clothing colored purple.
King Solomon never related any meanings to color in his writings other than his observation of the color of objects he observed.
In Contemporary Times
“Purple combines the calm stability of blue and the fierce energy of red. The color purple is often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, power, and ambition. Purple also represents meanings of wealth, extravagance, creativity, wisdom, dignity, grandeur, devotion, peace, pride, mystery, independence, and magic.”
Allegory in the Novel the Color Purple Novel
Alice Walker has identified her own religious development as a major influence on The Color Purple and has described the novel as a theological work which traces a journey, undertaken by a number of principal characters, from conventional religious belief to a more universal spiritual awareness.
“The color purple represents all the good things in the world that God creates for men and women to enjoy. At the beginning of the book, you could say that Celie has no sense of the color purple”
“As Celie does learn to love life, she decorates her bedroom in her own home in all purples and reds.”
What’s My Point?
Purple is a mixture of red and blue wavelengths.
My point is we humans have over time added philosophical, religious, bigotry, cultural, or allegory, patriotic, spiritual, symbolism, images of meanings to colors.
However, regardless of what color waves make up colors, all colors require light waves to project a color image.
In My Opinion
The Color Purple novel is fictional. However, the story paints a picture of realities and burdens some humans may experience in life either by their own personal or someone else’s wise or foolish choices.
Spiritual or Divine Wisdom is understanding and knowledge that color will be meaningless in life when it comes time for a person to be judged to enter their next life.
Colors or perfumes may contain various and different ingredients, similar to light waves has different wavelengths., Spiritual Wisdom helps us to understand that man made perceptions about color are meaningless in life same as chasing after the wind.
Spiritual Wisdom helps us to discern that a good name is better than fine perfume.
In my opinion, if painting your room any choice of color serves to remind you “that the day of death better than the day of birth,” or to help calm or provide you with energy to face any burden in life your encounter in the list above, paint it any color you want.
Keep in mind though, these three things to discern what matters about colors and Spiritual Wisdom, in my opinion.
- Without a source of energy light waves cannot travel and the result is darkness.
- Light waves cannot penetrate an opaque matter, same as wisdom cannot penetrate an opaque mind.
- Goodness, rather than color or burdens is the only ingredient that really “matters” to in this life and the next according to King Solomon’s wisdom.
If Interested
Read the Source Links Below.
You Decide
What color will you choose to remind you to brighten up your life from the realities of the burdens you may encounter.?
Regards and goodwill blogging.
Source Links
The Color Purple: Religious and philosophical context
Purple Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Wikipedia Purple
Previous Posts
King Solomon, I Saw the Light
How Light is Affected by Matter
Beloved, you must use your powers for good.
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