Wine Goblets in Literature
Ever sat in an English or world literature course and wonder, “Is this teacher or professor asking for the meaning of this word, object, or phrase and why?” The world of literature is vast and spans many cultures and languages. Within these cultures, the study and knowledge of literature signifies a well educated person.
Followers of English and world Literature are always searching for a way to find the meaning of words as metaphors, similes, or allusions. One of the items a reader may find in various literature is the wine goblet. Wine goblets represent royalty, luxury, precious metals, and great taste.
These drinking receptacles also symbolize drinking fine wine in a beautiful cup. The most recent use of the word goblet is in the book Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K Rowlings. In the fourth book release of J.K. Rowling’s popular book series, the Goblet of Fire represents a magical cup picking names of contestants for a school competition. Edgar Allen Poe, William Shakespeare, and Irving Washington use wine goblets as inspiration, props, or metaphors in their writings. For example, William Shakespeare incorporates the wine goblet in one of his Macbeth soliloquies. Macbeth’s purpose was to poison the wine and use it in a murder plot.
Wine goblets are used in ceremonies, celebrations, to seal business deals, to describe a beautiful woman, and as a prize possession for an individual or a monarch. Pablo Neruda wrote a poem that says, “Never has one goblet contained you.” Neruda is alluding to the best wine goblet filled with the finest of wines. In literature, it is all about how the reader interprets the meaning of the object.
In Christianity, the Holy Chalice (wine goblet) is the cup Jesus used at the last supper to serve wine to his disciples. In Wicca, the chalice is used to represent femininity, which leads to procreation. Their relevance in literature is embedded in history. Who would have ever thought a cup like the wine goblet would be highly represented in literature. Best wine tours willamette valley