A.
The
phrase
"brass serpent" originates from the Old Testament, Numbers
21: 4-9, and is repeated in the New Testament, in John 3: 14-16: “And
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of
Man be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal
life.” When the Israelites complained about their misfortunes, Moses
silenced them by raising a brass serpent on a staff.
Moses was
reminding the Israelites that, by undertaking their journey
into the desert, they had chosen to accept adversity. Complaints
indicated a lack of faith, which was sinful. Similarly, the pioneer,
when he sets out to farm a new land, agrees to confront risk. The
pioneer's choice is to accept misfortune as part of the noble adventure.
In Out of Africa Karen Blixen
discusses the "brass serpent" in the last few pages of the chapter
titled "A Shooting Accident." The examples she gives indicate that a
"brass serpent" is a symbol of comfort to those who complain about
their misfortunes. If Lord Delamere agonizes over the plague of locusts
on his farm, his agony comforts the lesser folk who suffer the same
misfortune.
The "brass
serpent" is a savior or redeemer (Jesus Christ
implied)--someone who delivers from evil. In practical terms, the
deliverer is someone who distracts others from focusing on their own
problems. Karen Blixen implies this in her story.
Two aspects of Karen Blixen's personal philosophy surface in the brass
serpent story. First, she believed that the aristocracy served as a
symbol of inspiration. Their endurance in the face of adversity could
be an example to others. And, by suffering the same misfortune as a
nobleman, one participated in a noble act. This realization silenced
their complaints.
The story also
reflects Karen Blixen's Unitarian upbringing by
reminding us of Jesus Christ's example on the cross--an act of noble
suffering meant to comfort the agonies of others.
In literature, the archetype is a symbol to those who see their own
lives reflected in the story. Readers are comforted to realize they are
not alone in their misery. Moreover, adversity overcome is the source
for legend. In this story a loathsome snake is transformed into a
powerful brass icon. As in ancient Norse philosophy, adversity is the
avenue to immortality.
In history, the
figure of a serpent on a staff arises from Greek
mythology (at least 3000-4000 years old). Medicine has long used the
Rod of Aesculapius, the god of healing, as its trademark. The brass
serpent survives as a symbol of comfort in time of woe.
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