Literary symbolism in Oscar Wilde’s Salomé, English edition of 1907
The Moon and the Gaze in Salomé
At the opening of Salomé, the Page of Herodias sees the moon as a dead woman rising from a tomb. The Young Syrian instead imagines a dancing princess with a yellow veil and silver feet. Their different descriptions make the same light carry both attraction and foreboding. The Page’s warning against looking too much at Salomé connects this celestial imagery with the people on the terrace. Near the end, Herod retreats into talk of mirrors and masks, then orders the torches extinguished and the moon hidden. Darkness does not remain secure: the final stage direction sends a moonbeam over Salomé, Herod turns and sees her, and his order brings the tragedy to its close.
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In the sources
One moon, contrasting descriptions
DocumentedThe Page speaks of a dead woman while the Young Syrian imagines a dancing princess. These are the characters’ competing similes, not a single explanation supplied by a narrator.
Warnings and attempted withdrawal
DocumentedThe Page warns the Young Syrian against excessive looking. Late in the play, Herod speaks of mirrors showing masks and then refuses both to look and to be looked at.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the opening and closing scenes of Wilde’s play in the 1907 English edition. The pattern described is a literary interpretation grounded in dialogue and stage directions; it is not a universal meaning of the moon, a claim of lunar influence or a historical account of Herod’s court.
Original passages
Source 1
Salome
Look at the moon!Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Oscar Wilde, Salomé (London: John Lane, 1907), printed p. 1
Actual scanned prose page inspected; quotation and printed pagination checked visually against this 1907 English edition. Opening pp.1–8 and ending pp.57–66 read in context; no complete-play reading claim.
- Edition
- IMJ-0267-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0267-E001-P0025
- Original scan leaf
- 33
- Recorded leaf number
- 33
- Current Reader position
- 18
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 2
Salome
You look too much at her.Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Oscar Wilde, Salomé (London: John Lane, 1907), printed p. 3
Actual scanned prose page inspected; quotation and printed pagination checked visually against this 1907 English edition. Opening pp.1–8 and ending pp.57–66 read in context; no complete-play reading claim.
- Edition
- IMJ-0267-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0267-E001-P0029
- Original scan leaf
- 37
- Recorded leaf number
- 37
- Current Reader position
- 21
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 3
Salome
for mirrors do but show us masks.Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Oscar Wilde, Salomé (London: John Lane, 1907), printed p. 58
Actual scanned prose page inspected; quotation and printed pagination checked visually against this 1907 English edition. Opening pp.1–8 and ending pp.57–66 read in context; no complete-play reading claim.
- Edition
- IMJ-0267-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0267-E001-P0102
- Original scan leaf
- 110
- Recorded leaf number
- 110
- Current Reader position
- 85
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 4
Salome
I will not look at thingsOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Oscar Wilde, Salomé (London: John Lane, 1907), printed p. 65
Actual scanned prose page inspected; quotation and printed pagination checked visually against this 1907 English edition. Opening pp.1–8 and ending pp.57–66 read in context; no complete-play reading claim.
- Edition
- IMJ-0267-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0267-E001-P0111
- Original scan leaf
- 119
- Recorded leaf number
- 119
- Current Reader position
- 93
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 5
Salome
A moonbeam falls on Salomé covering her with light.Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Oscar Wilde, Salomé (London: John Lane, 1907), printed p. 66
Actual scanned prose page inspected; quotation and printed pagination checked visually against this 1907 English edition. Opening pp.1–8 and ending pp.57–66 read in context; no complete-play reading claim.
- Edition
- IMJ-0267-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0267-E001-P0112
- Original scan leaf
- 120
- Recorded leaf number
- 120
- Current Reader position
- 94
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
