National personification
A National personification are concepts such as nations, emotions, and natural forces/phenomena, such as seasons and weather in relation to personae characteristics of a state or the people(s) it inhabits. It may appear in political mascots and cultural depictions.
List of national personifications
| Location | Image | Personification | Animal used for the same purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hellas | |||
| Bharat Mata ("Mother India") | Bengal tiger, Indian elephant | ||
| Ériu, Banba, Fódla, Kathleen Ni Houlihan, Hibernia, The Old Woman of Beare[1] | |||
| Britannia (United Kingdom), John Bull (England), Dame Wales (Wales) | The Lion and the Unicorn (England and Scotland), Bulldog (United Kingdom), Welsh dragon (Wales) | ||
| Uncle Sam (government personification), Lady Liberty, Columbia, Johnny Reb (The South, obsolete), Billy Yank (The North, obsolete), Brother Jonathan (New England, obsolete) | Bald Eagle, Timber rattlesnake (American Revolution, obsolete) |
National Personification Media
The allegorical personification of Italy (Italia turrita; lit. 'Turreted Italy'), goes back to ancient Rome. The woman is linked to Cybele, an Anatolian fertility goddess.
Saint Michael at right, gesturing to, from left: an unspecified figure, Brittania, Italia, Austria, Mother Russia, Germania, and Marianne of France
Related pages
- National emblem, for other metaphors for nations.
- Polandball, a satirical Internet meme where countries are depicted as balls.
References
- ↑ O'Rourke Murphy, M. & MacKillop, J. (2006). An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama.
