Literary notes about illumination (AI summary)
The term “illumination” is deployed with remarkable versatility in literature, at times evoking literal brightness and at other moments symbolizing profound insight or spiritual awakening. It can describe the physical act of lighting a room or artistic embellishment, as when ancient manuscripts are adorned with intricate illumination ([1], [2], [3], [4]), while in other narratives it signals a transformative inner experience—a sudden epiphany that casts clarity on a character’s past or behavior ([5], [6], [7], [8]). Moreover, its usage often carries a dual significance, merging tangible light with metaphorical enlightenment, as seen in descriptions of celestial radiance that elevates the soul ([9], [10], [11], [12]). This layered application of the word enriches literary works by bridging the sensory with the philosophical, inviting readers to explore both the physical and metaphysical dimensions of light.
- illustration, illumination; half tone; photogravure; vignette, initial letter, cul de lampe[Fr], tailpiece.
— from Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget - [Illustration: ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE DOUBLE RUDDER OF THE MIDDLE AGES 12th Century Illumination (After Pertz) Seal of Winchelsea.
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo and da Pisa Rusticiano - Luxurious finish, elaborate illumination point to the fact that our book (the Vatican copy) was intended for the use in some aristocratic household.
— from Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius - illumination, itself, no doubt, originating in Byzantine traditions.
— from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson - He saw the whole history now by that terrible illumination which the present sheds back upon the past.
— from Adam Bede by George Eliot - He forgot, and lived again, and, living, he saw, in clear illumination, the beast he was making of himself—not by the drink, but by the work.
— from Martin Eden by Jack London - It was as if a sudden illumination had been flashed upon the ambiguity of Daisy’s behavior, and the riddle had become easy to read.
— from Daisy Miller: A Study by Henry James - " A blaze of illumination came over me with possession of the amulet; many dormant memories awakened.
— from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda - Behari's friend, I heard, had received illumination after many years of Kriya Yoga practice in isolated caves.
— from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda - Illumination from the dome falls on the cenotaphs of Emperor Shah-Jahan and Mumtaz Mahall, queen of his realm and his heart.
— from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda - "A celestial illumination surrounded her; her face lightened with happiness; she seemed already to be tasting the joys of the heavenly home....
— from The Moors in Spain by Stanley Lane-Poole - By the illumination... That is, by the bright coming and appearing of our Saviour. 1:11.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete
