Home › Glossary › Letter S

Self-emptying imagery

Imagery
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Visual or symbolic language depicting renunciation, humility, or erasure of the self

Detailed Definition
Self-emptying imagery portrays acts or states of depletion, surrender, or dissolution—such as a cup overturned, a leafless tree, or a silent voice—to symbolize spiritual humility or existential release; this visual language, rooted in mystical traditions, transforms absence into a site of potential, where letting go becomes a path to deeper presence.
Example
Example in poetry:
Herbert’s “The Pulley” shows God withholding rest to draw humans closer; In “The Collar,” rebellion ends in silent submission; Donne’s “Batter my heart” uses violent imagery for self-emptying; R.S. Thomas’s “The Moor” depicts God as “a bare hill” requiring human void
Additional Notes
Self-emptying imagery depicts depletion or surrender (e.g., hollow vessels, silent rooms); linked to kenosis and humility; ground in physical details to avoid vagueness; common in mystical and postmodern poetry
Also Known As
Kenotic imagery hollowing symbol depletion trope empty vessel motif
Skip to main content