Invocation: A Literary Device

Invocation: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings

Etymology/Term:

The term “invocation” has its roots in Latin, derived from the verb “invocare,” meaning “to call upon” or “to invoke.” It entered English in the late 15th century and has since been used to describe the act of summoning, appealing to, or calling upon a deity, spirit, or higher power for assistance, guidance, or inspiration.

Literal Meaning:

• In a literal sense, invocation involves the act of calling upon a divine entity or supernatural force.
• This can manifest through prayers, rituals, or ceremonial utterances, with the intention of seeking the presence, blessing, or aid of the invoked being.
• In religious and spiritual contexts, invocations serve to establish a connection between the invoker and the divine, acting as a conduit for communication and assistance.

Conceptual Meaning:

• Beyond its literal application, invocation holds conceptual significance across various fields.
• In literature, it signifies the tradition of commencing a poem, story, or work of art with an appeal for inspiration, a practice rooted in classical poetry.
• In legal contexts, invocation may refer to the act of calling upon a law, precedent, or legal principle to support a specific argument or claim.
• The term can also be applied more broadly, indicating the earnest request or summoning of support, aid, or intervention, extending its usage beyond religious or literary realms.

Invocation: Definition as a Literary Device

Invocation, as a literary device, is the act of calling upon a muse, deity, or higher power at the beginning of a creative work to seek inspiration and guidance. It is a tradition often found in classical poetry, where writers invoke external sources to aid in the artistic process. The purpose of an invocation is to establish a connection with the divine, acknowledging the sources of inspiration and inviting their influence on the unfolding narrative or composition.

Invocation: Types and Examples

Type of Invocation	Definition	Example
Religious Invocation	Calls upon a deity or divine being for guidance, blessings, or protection.	“O Muse! Sing to me of the man of twists and turns…” – Homer’s “The Odyssey”
Muse Invocation	Appeals to the muses, who were believed to be goddesses of inspiration in classical mythology.	“Sing to me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide…” – Homer’s “The Iliad”
Nature Invocation	Invokes elements of nature or the universe for inspiration or assistance.	“Hail, thou that art highly favored! The Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” – Bible (Luke 1:28)
Self-Invocation	The author invokes their own creative spirit or intellect for inspiration.	“O my soul, summon the strength within and let words flow like a mighty river.”
Historical or Cultural Invocation	Calls upon historical figures, events, or cultural symbols for inspiration.	“O spirits of our ancestors, guide my pen as I tell the tales of old.”

Note: These examples are for illustrative purposes and may not be verbatim excerpts from the referenced works.

Invocation: Common Examples in Folk Literature

1. Ancestral Invocation:
   • Calling upon the spirits of ancestors for wisdom and protection.
2. Nature’s Blessing:
   • Invoking natural elements like the sun, moon, or earth for guidance.
3. Animal Spirits:
   • Seeking inspiration and aid from the spirits of animals, often revered in folklore.
4. Elemental Forces:
   • Calling upon elemental forces such as wind, fire, or water for strength.
5. Fairy or Folk Creatures:
   • Invoking the assistance of mythical beings like fairies or elves for magical guidance.
6. Spiritual Guardians:
   • Appealing to guardian spirits or deities associated with specific locations.
7. Cultural Heroes:
   • Invoking legendary figures or cultural heroes for inspiration and support.
8. Divine Intervention:
   • Seeking the intervention of gods or goddesses in times of need.
9. Magical Objects:
   • Invoking the powers of enchanted objects or artifacts within the folklore.
10. Ceremonial Rituals:
    • Performing rituals or incantations to summon supernatural aid in folk traditions.

Invocation in Literature: Examples

1. Homer’s “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” (8th century BCE):
   • Homer begins both of his epic poems with invocations to the Muse, asking for inspiration and guidance in telling the stories of the Trojan War and Odysseus’ journey.
2. John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” (1667):
   • Milton invokes the Muse to help him tell the story of the fall of man and the rebellion of Satan. The invocation sets the tone for this epic poem.
3. Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy” (1320):
   • Dante begins his journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven with an invocation to the Muses, asking for divine guidance in portraying the divine realms.
4. Virgil’s “The Aeneid” (29–19 BCE):
   • Virgil starts his epic poem by invoking the Muse to aid him in narrating the adventures of Aeneas as he fulfills his destiny in founding Rome.
5. Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” (14th century):
   • Chaucer invokes the divine influence at the beginning of “The Canterbury Tales,” seeking inspiration to tell the stories of the diverse group of pilgrims.
6. Milton’s “Paradise Regained” (1671):
   • In this work, Milton again begins with an invocation, asking for inspiration to recount the story of Christ’s temptation in the wilderness.
7. Edmund Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene” (1590):
   • Spenser invokes the aid of the Muse to guide him in crafting his allegorical epic poem, which is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I.
8. William Wordsworth’s “Prelude” (1850):
   • Wordsworth begins his autobiographical poem with an invocation to the divine spirit, seeking inspiration to explore the development of his mind and imagination.
9. T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” (1922):
   • Eliot’s modernist masterpiece opens with a complex invocation, drawing on various mythic and religious traditions to set the tone for the fragmented narrative that follows.
10. Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” (1956):

• In this influential Beat Generation poem, Ginsberg begins with a passionate invocation, addressing the best minds of his generation and expressing a sense of urgency and rebellion.

These examples illustrate how invocations have been used across different time periods and genres to set the stage for epic or significant literary works.

Invocation in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance of Invocation in Literature
Classical Criticism	Relevance: Invocations align with classical notions of epic poetry, where poets sought divine inspiration to elevate their works to a higher level.
Structuralism	Relevance: Invocations can be seen as structural elements that establish a framework for the narrative, signaling the beginning of an epic journey.
New Criticism	Relevance: New Critics might analyze the nuances of language and imagery within invocations, exploring how these elements contribute to the overall meaning of the work.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Relevance: Invocations may be interpreted as expressions of the author’s subconscious desires, revealing the poet’s inner conflicts and aspirations.
Marxist Criticism	Relevance: Marxist critics might examine invocations in relation to power dynamics, investigating how the call for divine inspiration reflects societal structures and values.
Feminist Criticism	Relevance: Feminist theorists may explore gender dynamics in invocations, considering how the choice of language and the act of seeking inspiration reflect gender roles and expectations.
Postcolonial Criticism	Relevance: Postcolonial theorists might analyze invocations in relation to cultural identity, exploring how the call for divine assistance intersects with colonial histories and indigenous perspectives.
Deconstruction	Relevance: Deconstructionists may question the stability of meaning within invocations, examining how language and symbols in the invocation may have multiple interpretations.
Reader-Response Criticism	Relevance: Reader-response theorists may focus on how invocations engage readers, considering how the call for inspiration invites readers to participate in the creation of meaning.
Postmodernism	Relevance: Postmodernists might view invocations as intertextual elements, exploring how they reference and reinterpret literary traditions in a fragmented and self-conscious manner.

Invocation in Literature: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Invocation	A prayer or request for divine inspiration.
Muse	A source of artistic inspiration, often linked to the arts and creativity.
Epic Poetry	A genre characterized by long, narrative poems recounting heroic deeds and adventures.
Theodicy	The attempt to justify the ways of a deity in the face of evil and suffering.
Allegory	A narrative with symbolic meaning, often representing abstract ideas or moral qualities.
Intercession	A plea for intervention or assistance, often directed towards a higher power.
Mythopoeia	The creation of myths or myth-like stories, often invoking the divine.
Divine Intervention	Direct involvement of a deity in the affairs of mortals, often seen in epic narratives.
Cultural Syncretism	The merging of different cultural and religious elements, reflected in invocations.
Imagery	Vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the senses, often used in invocations for evocative effect.

Invocation in Literature: Suggested Readings

1. Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Cengage Learning, 2014.
2. Eliot, T.S. The Waste Land. Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1922.
3. Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin Classics, 1998.
4. Lodge, David. The Art of Fiction. Penguin, 1992.
5. Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Oxford University Press, 2008.
6. Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. Alfred A. Knopf, 1977.
7. Ovid. Metamorphoses. Translated by David Raeburn, Penguin Classics, 2004.
8. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited by Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine, Folger Shakespeare Library, 2003.
9. Watson, Gail. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Literary Terms. Alpha, 2012.
10. Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Oxford University Press, 2008.