The word "gloom" is not as simple as it seems at first acquaintance with it. Something dark, hopeless, hordes of awkward and terrible creatures crawling out in the darkness - this is what the frightened imagination of modern man suggests. But such images lie on the surface of the true meaning of the word "gloom".
What is "darkness" academically?
In the explanatory dictionaries of S. I. Ozhigov, V. Dahl, D. N. Ushakov, the word is assigned a direct meaning - the absence of light, darkness. Example: The street is completely dark.
This word also has a figurative meaning - a kind of dull state of something. For example: gloomy, sad thoughts visited the old man that day.
Stable expressions with the word: the darkness of ignorance (about savagery, lack of education), the soul (a state of inner mystery or sinfulness), the future (uncertainty or hopelessness, lack of hope).
The figurative meaning of this word is ultimately associated with the property of darkness. Darkness in education, in relationships, in thoughts, and even darkness in the affairs of the state. The categories are also gloomy.time - hour, day, season, century. For example, the Middle Ages, with its inquisition, superstitions, lack of personal hygiene, is a truly gloomy time.
The concept of "gloom" among the Slavs
On the question of what darkness is, in addition to the official version, enshrined in dictionaries, there is another interpretation of the meaning, deeper. This meaning is born from the etymology of the word from the point of view of Slavic culture.
The word "gloom" is decomposed into semantic-educational fragments, something similar to reading an abbreviation. The analysis involves the names of Slavic deities and their functions: M - Mara (goddess of darkness and death), RA - light, K - Kosha (Fate). The result is: "the darkness absorbs the light as it is destined" or, in other words, "as intended by the creator." And this means that "darkness" is a part of the universe, the same as light.
The expression "Radiant darkness" seems interesting. What does it mean? This refers to the darkness mentioned in the ancient texts (Vedas) when describing the creation of our world. This is the fundamental principle of the world, the darkness that conceals the still unmanifested light, everything that will one day exist. Hence a new understanding of the deep sacred meaning of the word "gloom" - the fundamental principle of the world, an ever-existing category.
Gloom - the meaning in the "gloomy art"
This kind of art is called the creations of poets, artists, composers - everyone who tries to reflect the dark, dull side of our world in their masterpieces. Everything conceivable and unthinkable, connected with darkness, everything most terrible and depressing,the most unthinkable manifestations of darkness can be felt, seen or heard by getting acquainted with this art.
But even here darkness is understood not only as something dark. Pictures of "gloomy" artists show the side of darkness often as the side of the world, carrying knowledge, a special meaning and a peculiar beauty, different from the world of light.
It turns out that this is not only the bad, dark side of the world or the negative. This word also has deeper layers of understanding.
So, the word "gloom" has the following meanings:
- Lack of light, darkness (straight).
- Negative feelings, emotions, phenomena of reality (transfer.).
- A multifaceted manifestation of the fundamental principle of the world, concealing the unmanifested light (transfer.).
- These are the realities of the earthly world, viewed from the perspective of the dark side (transfer.).
We looked at what "gloom" is. We hope every reader will think about the meaning of this word and will not associate it only with the all-consuming darkness in which monsters live.
