Mythological Meanings UnmaskedDecoding The Symbolism Of Myth

Mythology in Art & Literature Professor Will Adams

Valencia College

Symbolic Animals

Symbolic Animals

Symbolic Animals• The following animals

appear in a variety of cultures and represent a variety of things.

• In one case an animal might symbolize something good, while in another culture might consider it representative of evil. 

Symbolic Animals: Crocodile/Alligator

Symbolic Animals: Crocodile/Alligator

Symbolic Animals: Crocodile/Alligator• Depending on the

culture one examines, alligators and crocodiles may represent:• Aggression• Survival• Adaptability• Cunning• Deception

Symbolic Animals: Apes & Monkeys

Symbolic Animals: Apes & Monkeys

Symbolic Animals: Apes & Monkeys• A common ancestor of

human beings, apes and chimps are often associated with human-like qualities such as:• Mischief• Mimicry• Cunning• Benevolence• Humanity• Nurturing

Symbolic Animals: Bats

Symbolic Animals: Bats

Symbolic Animals: Bats• As guardians of the night,

bats are often viewed as: • Cleaners• The unknown• Messengers • Duality • Bringers of happiness• Symbols of good luck,

longevity, & peace

• They may also represent hypocrisy, melancholy, revenge, or wisdom.

Symbolic Animals: Bees

Symbolic Animals: Bees

Symbolic Animals: Bees• Bees, who act as

pollinators, often symbolize:• Immortality• Rebirth• Industriousness• Order• Messengers between

worlds• Secret wisdom• Mothers & priestesses

Symbolic Animals: Birds

Symbolic Animals: Birds

Symbolic Animals: Birds• As inhabitants of the

sky, the realm only recently accessible to humans, birds often represent:

• The soul

Symbolic Animals: Birds• As inhabitants of the

sky, the realm only recently accessible to humans, birds often represent:

• The soul• Transcendence

Symbolic Animals: Birds• As inhabitants of the

sky, the realm only recently accessible to humans, birds often represent:

• The soul• Transcendence• The spirits of the air

Symbolic Animals: Birds• As inhabitants of the

sky, the realm only recently accessible to humans, birds often represent:

• The soul• Transcendence• The spirits of the air• Communication

Symbolic Animals: Birds• As inhabitants of the

sky, the realm only recently accessible to humans, birds often represent:

• The soul• Transcendence• The spirits of the air• Communication• Freedom

Symbolic Animals: Bears

Symbolic Animals: Bears

Symbolic Animals: Bears• As fearsome alpha

predators, bears have long been regarded as:• Primal power• Motherhood• Cunning• Gentle strength• Dreaming• Sovereignty• Intuition married with

instinct• Nurturing & protection

Symbolic Animals: Bulls

Symbolic Animals: Bulls

Symbolic Animals: Bulls• Although they were also hunted

as food sources by early humans, cattle – and especially bulls – wielded great physical strength.

• As a result, humans have historically associated them with:

Symbolic Animals: Bulls• Although they were also hunted

as food sources by early humans, cattle – and especially bulls – wielded great physical strength.

• As a result, humans have historically associated them with:• Wealth• Potency• Male procreative strength• Kingship• The taming of the 

masculine and animal nature• Destructive force

Symbolic Animals: Butterflies

Symbolic Animals: Butterflies

Symbolic Animals: Butterflies• Butterflies must pass

through many physical transformations to reach their truest, mature forms; resultantly, they are associated with:• Metamorphosis• Transformation• Immortality• Rebirth• The soul

Symbolic Animals: Felines

Symbolic Animals: Felines

Symbolic Animals: Felines• Initially, cats were competing

predators, but eventually humans were able to domestic cats – at least partially.

• The cats’ grace, mystery, and independence have come to represent:

Symbolic Animals: Felines• Initially, cats were competing

predators, but eventually humans were able to domestic cats – at least partially.

• The cats’ grace, mystery, and independence have come to represent:• Guardianship• Detachment• Sensuality• Stealth• Liberty• Magic• Vanity

Symbolic Animals: Coyotes

Symbolic Animals: Coyotes

Symbolic Animals: Coyotes• As untamed predators

even today, coyotes have long been viewed as:• Pranksters • Playfulness • Duality and the ability to

present both sides of an issue

• Clowning and humor, perhaps sarcastic

Symbolic Animals: Canines

Symbolic Animals: Canines

Symbolic Animals: Canines• Domesticated dogs,

perhaps the first species of animal to undergo that process, are often seen as symbolizing:• Guidance• Protection• Loyalty• Fidelity• Watchfulness

Symbolic Animals: Dolphins

Symbolic Animals: Dolphins

Symbolic Animals: Dolphins• Extremely intelligent

and friendly when it comes to humans, dolphins and porpoises may represent:• Kindness• Saviorship• Intelligence• Communication

Symbolic Animals: Dragons

Symbolic Animals: Dragons

Symbolic Animals: Dragons• Mythical, fantastical

creatures like dragons are actually metaphors that represent forces early humans were able to quantify, such as:• The power of Earth• The breath of life• Supernatural power,

magic, & strength• Wisdom• Guardianship

Symbolic Animals: Eagles

Symbolic Animals: Eagles

Symbolic Animals: Eagles• As alpha predators of the

sky – again, a realm largely inaccessible to humans – eagles symbolize:• Divine spirits • The power of the air & the

sun• Power in battle• Clear vision• Success, prosperity, or

wealth• Intelligence & courage

Symbolic Animals: Elephants

Symbolic Animals: Elephants

Symbolic Animals: Elephants• Long-lived, physically

powerful, and majestic in their size, elephants are symbols of:• Strength• Fidelity• Memory• Patience• Wisdom & intelligence

Symbolic Animals: Goats

Symbolic Animals: Goats

Symbolic Animals: Goats• Hardy and formidable,

goats – as an early-domesticated species – have come to represent:• Vitality• Fertility• Abundance• Lust

Symbolic Animals: Horses

Symbolic Animals: Horses

Symbolic Animals: Horses• Another species domesticated

quickly by early humans, horses have played a vital role in the evolution of humankind; as a result, they are icons of:• Stamina• Mobility• Coping under difficult

circumstances• Love, devotion & loyalty• Nobility• Freedom & wildness

Symbolic Animals: Owls

Symbolic Animals: Owls

Symbolic Animals: Owls• Mysterious and

inquisitive guardians of the night, owls are symbols of:• Wisdom & truth• Darkness• Divination• Solitude & detachment• Clairvoyance & mysticism

Symbolic Animals: Serpents

Symbolic Animals: Serpents

Symbolic Animals: Serpents• Chthonic creatures like

snakes, that are bound to the earth and continually shed their forms, have earned reputations for: • Life• Rebirth & resurrection• Healing & harm• Preservation & destruction• Malice & fertility

Symbolic Animals: Spiders

Symbolic Animals: Spiders

Symbolic Animals: Spiders• As nature’s master

artisans – as well as skillful predators in their own right, spiders are symbols of:• Creativity• Patterns in life• Connecting the past with

the future• The creation of

possibilities

Symbolic Animals: Unicorns

Symbolic Animals: Unicorns

Symbolic Animals: Unicorns• Mythological creatures

who are thought to be both uncatchable and untameable, unicorns represent:• Chastity• Purity• Dreams• Strength• Magical healing

Symbolic Colors In Myth

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Red

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Red

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Red• Red has traditionally

symbolized excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence - all things intense and passionate.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Orange

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Orange

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Orange• The vibrant color

orange represents energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrancy, expansiveness, flamboyance

• It also visually demands attention.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Yellow

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Yellow

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Yellow• Yellow has many different

meanings, depending on the culture.

• It often represents joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Green

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Green

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Green• Another color associated

with a basic element of the earth – the land – green has come to represent nature, the environment, health, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Blue

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Blue

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Blue• Blue – a color associated

with the most basic elements of the earth, sea and sky – is symbolic of: peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Purple

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Purple

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Purple• Long a highly-prized color

because of the difficulty required to obtain its pigment, purple is representative of royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, or mourning.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Brown & Tan

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Brown & Tan

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Brown & Tan

• The third elemental hue, brown symbolizes the Earth, stability, the hearth, home, the outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Black

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Black

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Black• Black represents the

absorption of all colors, and as such is associated with power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical color, mourning, and death in Western cultures.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: White

Symbolic Colors In Myth: White

Symbolic Colors In Myth: White• The reflection of all light’s

wavelength’s, white is a shade associated with reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage in Western cultures.

• It represents death in many Eastern cultures.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Pink

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Pink

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Pink• Pink symbolizes love

and romance, caring, tenderness, acceptance and calm.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Beige & Ivory

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Beige & Ivory

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Beige & Ivory

• Beige and ivory symbolize unification.

• Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Beige & Ivory

• Beige and ivory symbolize unification.

• Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness.

• Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Turquoise

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Turquoise

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Turquoise• Turquoise symbolizes

calm.• Teal symbolizes

sophistication.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Turquoise• Turquoise symbolizes

calm.• Teal symbolizes

sophistication.• Aquamarine symbolizes

water.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Turquoise• Turquoise symbolizes

calm.• Teal symbolizes

sophistication.• Aquamarine symbolizes

water.• Lighter turquoise has a

feminine appeal.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Lavender

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Lavender

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Lavender• A more bluish-grey

shade of purple, lavender symbolizes femininity, grace and elegance.

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Grey

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Grey

Symbolic Colors In Myth: Grey• A neutral and enduring

color, grey represents security, reliability, intelligence, staidness, modesty, dignity, maturity, practicality, old age, or sadness.

• Silver symbolizes calm.

To Be Continued…