Charon's Obol

Mitski's "Charon's Obol" is a haunting exploration of memory, loss, and healing, wrapped in a metaphorical narrative that draws on Greek mythology. The song's title references Charon, the ferryman of Hades in Greek mythology, who transports souls across the river Styx to the afterlife, traditionally paid with an obol, a small coin. This imagery sets the stage for a story about a woman who moves into a house with a tragic past, where the spirits of the deceased linger, symbolized by the gathering of dogs.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a woman whose heart is like a drawer, only opened when she feeds the dogs, representing her connection to the past and the memories she tends to. The dogs, belonging to the girls who died in the house, serve as a metaphor for the lingering presence of those lost souls. The protagonist's nightly ritual of feeding the dogs becomes a symbolic act of remembrance and an attempt to heal the wounds of the past. This act of care and attention to the "hounds at its mouth" suggests a desire to bring peace to the haunted space and perhaps to herself.

Mitski's storytelling is both eerie and poignant, capturing the solemnity of a new beginning in a place marked by tragedy. The protagonist's decision to inhabit the stigmatized house and become the "token coin in its mouth" reflects a willingness to confront and transform the pain associated with it. Through this narrative, Mitski explores themes of redemption and the possibility of healing through empathy and connection, even in the face of overwhelming sorrow.