“Block. It puts some writers down for months. It puts some writers down for life.”
Poet and satirist Dorothy Parker once said, “I hate writing; I love having written.” You and me both, Dorothy.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an award-winning novelist or a high schooler labouring through an essay: The fear and paralysis of writing doesn’t discriminate.
Pulitzer Prize−winning author and contributor to The New Yorker John McPhee, wrote: “Block. It puts some writers down for months. It puts some writers down for life.” Another famous writer for The New Yorker, Joseph Mitchell, was struck by writer’s block and simply sat and stared at his typewriter for 30 years.
Artists, not just writers, have been stuck and sought divine intervention for 5,000 years. And in times they’re stuck, as I am right now, they turn to the muse.
The Origin of the Nine Muses
The most popular lore of the origin of the Nine Muses is found in Hesiod’s Theogony. In his work, Hesiod wrote “Nine nights Zeus lay with Memory, going up to her holy bed far away from the immortals. And when the time came, as the months passed away and the seasons turned about, and the long tale of days was completed, she bore nine daughters — all of one mind, their carefree hearts set on song”.
The Nine Muses
The names of the Nine Muses are mentioned by Hesiod, “Clio and Euterpe and Thaleia and Melpomene, Terpsichore and Erato and Polyhymnia and Urania, and Calliope, who is chief among them all”. Each goddess is associated with one particular aspect of the arts and bears distinctive symbols.
Clio was the Muse of history and she was given the title ‘The Proclaimer’ or ‘The Celebrator’. Her attributes were the scroll, book, and clarion.
Euterpe was the Muse of lyric poetry, music, and song and was known also by her title as ‘She who Pleases’. Her attributes were the aulos (an ancient Greek instrument that resembles a flute). She’s believed to have invented other musical instruments too.
Thaleia was the Muse of comedy and bucolic poetry and was called ‘The Cheerful One’. She is often shown holding a mask of comedy and a shepherd’s staff.
Opposite Thaleia was Melpomene, the Muse of tragedy, known also as ‘She who Sings’. She is shown holding a mask of tragedy, a sword (or blade), and wearing the cothurnus (a type of boots used by tragic actors).
Terpsichore was the Muse of dance and held the title ‘The One Delighting in Dance’. She is often depicted with a lyre, a type of string instrument.
Erato was the Muse of love poetry and was called ‘The Lovely One’. She is shown holding a cithara, another type of string instrument.
Polyhymnia was the Muse of sacred hymns. She is depicted with a veil and normally presented as a pensive woman.
Urania was the Muse of astronomy and her title was ‘The Heavenly One’. Her attributes were the globe and compass. Her cloak was covered in stars and was shown looking up towards the sky.
Calliope was the Muse of epic poetry, and was called ‘The One with the Beautiful Voice’. Her attributes were the writing tablet and the stylus.
If you’re looking, I hope you find your muse today.
