Shakespeare's Flora
The best known reference in Shakespeare of plants used for symbolic purposes, aside from passing mention, as in Romeo and Juliet, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." is Ophelia's speech from Hamlet:
- Ophelia: There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love,
- remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts.
- Laertes: A document in madness! Thoughts and remembrance fitted.
- Ophelia: There's fennel for you, and columbines. There's rue for you,
- and here's some for me. We may call it herb of grace o' Sundays.
- O, you must wear your rue with a difference! There's a daisy. I
- would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when my father
- died. They say he made a good end.
Shakespeare also uses plants for historic symbolism, such as the plucking of red and white roses in Henry VI, Part I to foreshadow the dynastic struggle known as the Wars of the Roses that would end the king's reign. All the plants Shakespeare names in his plays are mentioned in classical medical texts or medieval herbal manuals.
Read more about this topic: Shakespeare Garden
Famous quotes containing the words shakespeare and/or flora:
“It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“A man’s interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)