Art of Dying: Garden Metamorphosis

Garden metaphors

Abstract

To define the garden metaphor, it is useful to briefly recall the concept of metaphor in a poetic sense, which since Aristotle has been understood as the shift or displacement of one meaning of a word toward another meaning. With some simplification, we can say that in a fully developed metaphor, the transfer of meaning occurs between a conceptual (to be identified) element and a pictorial (identifying) element that is semantically distant from it. This transfer is structurally facilitated by the identification of the two elements, their consolidation into a single expression.

The internal tension between the elements of a metaphorical statement can be resolved, or made meaningful, by searching for the common concept or hidden attribute that serves as the basis for their identification. Through this process, the recipient actively participates in the creation of the figurative expression; their interpretation is an integral part of the metaphor. At the same time, it should not be forgotten that a metaphorical statement contains multiple potential meanings, cannot be translated into a mundane statement, and cannot be paraphrased without semantic loss. Therefore, the original poetic image is always an "information carrier," its essential characteristic being that it allows us to see reality from a new perspective. Thus, the metaphor's often-cited decorative role is far less important than its - as emphasized by Aristotle - instructive nature.