Elizabethan Times

Topics: Rose, Victorian era, Love Pages: 10 (2464 words) Published: February 13, 2011
In Elizabethan times, garlands made of flowers were worn on special occasions such as weddings or celebrations, and Queen Elizabeth I was given bouquets of flowers from her admiring subjects. Just as red roses symbolize love, four-leaf clovers mean good luck, and mistletoe suggests holiday romance today, flowers also had meanings in the sixteenth century. In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Ophelia mentions several kinds of flowers and herbs and their meanings: * Pansies represent "thoughts." The English name "pansy" comes from the French word, "pensées," meanings "thoughts." * Rosemary is for "remembrance." * Rue, a bitter-tasting herb, may symbolize disdain; Ophelia pretends to give rue to herself and her imaginary guests. Rue was also thought to protect against spells and was used to sprinkle holy water during church services. For this reason, it is also called "herb-of-grace."  Shakespeare's plays and poetry are filled with references to flowers. In The Winter's Tale, the princess Perdita wishes that she had violets, daffodils, and primroses to make garlands for her friends. The fairy queen Titania, who has fallen in love with Bottom, gives him a wreath of flowers to wear in A Midsummer Night's Dream. In fact, Shakespeare uses the word "flower" over 100 times! |

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Imagine a shy man’s dilemma as he tries to figure out how to tell a woman he is interested in her, or a woman’s predicament when she wants to let him down gently. In Victorian times, they each could have made their thoughts and desires known without uttering a word. By employing the language of flowers, he could have conveyed his desire, and she could have told him she wanted only friendship. Sometimes referred to as floriography, the Victorian language of flowers bestowed specific meanings to each type of flower, and it also frequently assigned different meanings to various colors within each flower family. Ads by GoogleFTD Same Day DeliveryFree Vase & Delivery Included FTD Florist Member Satisfaction FTDfloristsonline.com/flowersMargareta Export FlowersExport of flowers: roses, carnation Маргарета Экспорт Цветов Эквадор www.margaretaflowers.com| The bearer of a bouquet, called a tussie-mussie, was able to send a complicated message by choosing the right combination of floral or plant symbols. For example, a red rose in the language of flowers would convey a lover’s passion. If paired with trailing ivy and sweet pea, the bouquet also would have told of the bearer’s fidelity and shyness. Pink roses, on the other hand, sometimes meant only friendship, and yellow carnations signified a firm rejection. A man bearing sunflowers was telling his woman, “I adore you.” The gift of spider flowers said, “Elope with me.” The way a woman received such a floral gift also sent a message. If the lady held the bouquet to her chest, she was telling him, in the language of flowers, that her feelings were much less ardent. If she brought it to her lips, they were in accord. Love and friendship were...
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