When it comes to mediums, the material used is very important; not only because of how the piece will look in the end, but also because it will affect the meaning of the piece as a whole. I used to think that mediums were exclusive to art and art history, but reading the texts The Iliad and The Adventures of Simplicius Simplicissimus has made me realize that there is more to the medium of the work than just its aesthetic value. The shield of Achilles and Simplicius' tree could not be more different, yet similar in what they symbolize. The meaning of the works not only come from the text itself, but it also comes from the materials in which the pieces are made.
Achilles' shield, in the text, is made by the god, Hephaestus. Already, the shield could not be any more divine having been made by a god himself: "the god creates a world of gorgeous immortal work (The Iliad, 483)". Not only is the shield a functional piece of armor for Achilles, but it is also a symbol of Achilles' power and glory as a strong, charismatic, and forever honored member of society. The fact that the shield in real life is made out of metal reflects Achilles' immortal glory as metal is one of the most permanent mediums that something can be made out of. Metal often has a connotation of being labor-intensive, strong, long-lasting, and expensive; all of which are perfect for a demi god such as Achilles.
Simplicius' tree, in the text, is described to us by Simplicius himself from a dream that he has while thinking about each person's role in society and how they are affected by it. The fact that the vision of the tree was conceived in a dream rather than given to him by some higher being represents how Simplicius' glory as an antihero comes from himself and his own cleverness rather than being bestowed upon him like the shield to Achilles. The woodblock print as a medium has much more humble connotations than that of the metal shield as the work that goes into making a woodblock print is much less labor intensive and the print becomes more accessible to the general public as opposed to the shield which may be the only one in the world. This is important because it shows that the glory of Simplicius as an intelligent person can be obtained by anyone and everyone whereas Achilles' glory as a strong fighter and demigod can only be obtained by himself.
The mediums that each work is made from has importance in the connotations of the material as well as the work that went into it. Whereas Achilles is known for being an elite person of divine glory that no one else can achieve, like the shield, Simplicius had a mere dream and the vision was represented by something that can be achieved by anyone, the print.
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