The Allusion to Mythology of Cassandra in Cassandra with a Tail by Blaga Dimitrova and Soliloquy for Cassandra by Wislawa Szymborska.

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The Allusion to Mythology of Cassandra in Cassandra with a Tail and Soliloquy for Cassandra

Anton Chekhov once said “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” Clearly, this line suggests that knowledge lies not in knowing, but rather in its application. Despite Chekhov’s views, people have always prioritized on the accumulation of knowledge. The question then is not how much knowledge one can have, but instead how can knowledge change the world for the better, and its consequences. It is with the creative use of allusion to the Greek mythology of Cassandra that both Blaga Dimitrova and Wislawa Szymborska are able to convince the audience of their perspective on their opinion on the role of knowledge in society. Cassandra in Greek mythology is a figure both of foresight and powerlessness, where the combination of her deep knowledge and incapability for change exemplify the tragic condition of humankind. As such, it is not surprising that we find frequent references to the mythology of Cassandra in poetry, two examples being Cassandra with a Tail by Blaga Dimitrova and Soliloquy for Cassandra by Wislawa Szymborska. At the heart of both poems, it revolves around a tragedy parallel to the mythology of Cassandra where the protagonist is destroyed by an impending tragedy that is beyond her control, but not beyond her awareness. Contrarily, Dimitrova presents her poem in a modern relatable society where as Szymborska utilizes directly the ancient mythology of Cassandra.

Alluding to the powerlessness of Cassandra, both poems exhibit the paradoxical idea that even when a person with the power of foresight will lack the ability to influence or alter the outcome. In Greek mythology, Cassandra of Troy warns the Trojans of the inevitable fall of Troy, and due to Apollo’s curse, her prophecy was dismissed as simply her imagination. Troy fell, and Cassandra survived to witness the fall of her people. The poem “Cassandra with a Tail” by Dimitrova begins simply enough with extensive use of imagery to bring the reader into the poem. Early in the first stanza, Dimitrova employs a variety of imagery that portrays the cat as a wise and solitary being that alludes to the insight that Cassandra possesses:

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it spun a yarn of smoke into a ball.

At night, it flickered half-moon eyes

In the dark corners of the house…

Wise. With Cottony steps. (line 4-12)

Evidently, the portrayal of the cat in the first stanza is a representation of Cassandra and her oracular powers. The use of extended metaphor such as “smoke” and “half-moon eyes” gives a mystical sense, but also illuminates obscurity and the cat’s acute sense of perception or prophecy. Moreover, it suggests that the cat prefers to interact with objects as opposed to people, and at night, it retreats into a corner of the ...

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