The myrtle symbolizes Aphrodite and Demeter. It's used in wedding rituals and in the Aeneid it was closely related to the earth and humanity. Look to post on defining the myrtle tree for development on this idea. The other symbol that I'm interested in is the turtledove which is also a symbol for Demeter and Aphrodite. It has a sad song and is a sign of devoted love. See post to develop this idea. The turtle dove appears in the second lullaby that is sung to the prince. The story also says that the myrtle girl has a "sad song" which could be a reference to her as the turtle dove (181). The kingdom of Porcelainia is kind of right on the nose. I'm following an idea of porcelain being related to the fairness of the ideal woman. The capital is described as a "porcelain capital," yet the old woman and man live on a "clay field" (172). There is a juxtaposition of the have and have nots. This could also be an allusion to the fact...
The research involved in writing my term paper for my The Fantastic in Literature masters class.