Cedar (Afterward)

The cedar is a tree of the Pinaceae family and is an evergreen timber and ornamental conifer tree. The cedar is most commonly known for its aromatic wood, which has a repelling effect towards insects. The wood of these trees is often used for chests, pencils, closet linings, and fence posts. The cedarwood is relatively light, soft and contains a lot of resin. By distilling the wood, an aromatic oil can be gained, which is used in a lot of hygiene products (Britannica.com).

The very popular cedar is nowadays quite rare due to overexploitation and mostly used as decoration. Some members of the cedar family are the oldest trees on Earth. Among the ideas of the ancient world, was to use cedar wood for kings. The people of these times used the wood for their ships, temples, and thrones. Thus it was seen as a symbol of superiority, prestige, dignity, and strength (Brottrager).

The oil can be used as natural medicine. It has a warming, calming and harmonizing effect, is good for skin and respiration. Furthermore, it also has a detoxicating, antiseptic, mucus-dissolving and diuretic effect on humans (Brottrager).

In Celtic mythology, the cedar is a symbol for patience, endurance, flexibility, prescience, confidence, independent, individualism, optimism and vitality. It is believed that the cedar is strongly connected to the world of emotions and senses. Development and insight are traits that the cedar encourages according to mythology (Brottrager).

In “Afterward”, the cedar is mentioned only once in conjunction with the shadow it provides (Wharton 347). With the symbolism of the cedar in Celtic mythology in mind, the cedar in “Afterward” could be a symbol for the insight that Mary Boyne gains at Lyng. Another potential reason for the cedar to appear in the story could be its connection to ancient royalty. As mentioned above, the tree was seen as a symbol of prestige. The Boynes could intend to show off their prestige by having such a majestic tree on their premises.

• Britannica.com. “Cedar”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. 18. October. 2016. 15. June. 2019. https://www.britannica.com/plant/cedar

• Brottrager, Irmgard. “Die Zeder – Wesen und Bedeutung”. Everyday Feng Shui. Everyday Feng Shui Berlin. 15. June. 2019. https://www.everyday-feng-shui.de/die-zeder-wesen-und-bedeutung/

• Wharton, Edith. "Afterward". The Muse's Tragedy and Other Stories . Ed. Candace Waid. London: Penguin Books, 1992. 342-373. Print.

• Image 1: Cedar tree 1: https://treesofjoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/IMG_0719.jpg (Retrieved 15/06/2019)

• Image 2: Cedar tree 2: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/media/100072309/TreeID-cedar01.jpg?cb=-2145476007&preset=gallery-tab-main-image (Retrieved 15/06/2019)