Connotation in literature adds emotional or empathic meaning to the literal meaning of a word or idea. It allows for the formation of idioms and other figures of speech, providing the basis for metaphors and similes. Connotation is a part of semiotics, the study of symbols that allow communication across languages and cultures. Examples include Thomas Wolfe’s “You can’t go home” and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Connotation can be created through various literary elements, not just words.
Connotation in literature occurs when the language used indicates an emotional or empathic dimension to the literal meaning of a word or idea. Connotation is one of two words – connotation and denotation – that describe a fundamental property of language. Denotation is the literal meaning of a word or phrase. One cannot consider the connotative implications of a word or phrase without understanding what the word or phrase literally means. Connotation in literature allows a deeper level of meaning to be given to the idea in question.
The relationship between denotation and connotation in literature allows for the formation of idioms and other figures of speech. Denotation gives the literal meaning of a word or phrase. For example, the phrase “bite from an apple” literally means a single bite of a single piece of fruit. The connotation of the phrase “bitten from an apple” can include a number of other elements, including the biblical story of Adam and Eve. Likewise, the apple can be a metaphor for life and bite for action, making the phrase mean “live life to the fullest” or “seize the moment”.
Connotation in literature provides the basis for metaphors, similes and other abstract linguistic constructs. Without a method for giving ideas meaning beyond the literal, there would be no way to compare abstract and concrete concepts. Connotation is a part of the study of linguistics called semiotics. Semiotics is the study of symbols that allow humans to communicate, regardless of language or culture. All words in any language are metaphors, with a connotation that gives the metaphor a larger meaning.
There are numerous examples of connotation in the literature. For example, in Thomas Wolfe’s famous quote “You can’t go home” the word “home” connotes a meaning that goes far beyond the literal interpretation of a house or even a house. The “house” referred to in the quote refers to the past, the “house” in which a person grew up. Taking the sentence denotatively deprives it of all emotional weight and meaning.
In Milton’s Paradise Lost, a more complex connotative meaning arises from the use of Greek and Roman mythological forms and concepts, including the form of the poem itself. As an epic poem, Paradise Lost’s form implies that the story itself is mythic in some sense. Greek and Roman mythology focused on the highest order of deities for both inspiration and subject. Milton’s intent in invoking this connotation through form is to give the narrative a deeper dimension than the literal story itself. As such, connotation does not need to be imparted through words, it can be created through various literary elements as well.
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