SYMBOLIC MEANING OF BLACK AND WHITE IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH POETRY

The article seeks to illuminate the symbolic meaning of black and white in contemporary English poetry. The paper suggests that, when used in a poem, black symbolises some negative feelings or states, while white – positive ones. Data analysis shows that, on the one hand, black and white oppose each other and represent contradictory forces, two extremes, which is the basic idea of Western dualism. Furthermore, the poets often juxtapose black and white with chromatic colours. On the other hand, they embody two complementary forces, the union of which helps to maintain the balance of life – Chinese dualism.