Flower Symbolism In Literature And The World

Whether you’re giving flowers to your mother for Mother’s Day, a friend on their birthday, or your beloved on Valentine’s Day, nearly every sentiment imaginable can be expressed through flowers. Anyone may see flower bouquets and think of them as a sign of affection or gratitude, however, there is a lot more to flowers than meets the eye.

The practice of assigning meanings to flowers began in ancient cultures around the world. The Egyptians for example, used floral symbolism in their art and religion. In Greek mythology, flowers have numerous interpretations and implications associated with their gods and goddesses. Here are some interesting stories about flowers in Greek mythology.

Rose

While walking through the woods one day, Chloris stumbled upon the lifeless nymph. Saddened by its death, she turned it into a beautiful flower. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was so struck by its beauty that she named it 'rose', an anagram of her son’s name, Eros.

Hyacinth

Hyacinthus was an incredibly handsome Spartan Princ in Greek Mythology. He was a lover of Apollo, the sun god, but was also much admired by the West wind Zephyrus. One day, when Apollo and Hyacinthus were having a game of discus, Zephyrus blew the discus off-course, causing it to strike Hyacinth on the head, killing him.  As Apollo wept over his lover, his tears turned into the beautiful flowers known as hyacinths.

Iris

The Iris takes its name from the Greek word for rainbow, ίριδ- irida. It is also the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris, who was said to carry messages between Earth and the god Zeus and goddess Hera. Some say the rainbow represented her long, flowy robe.

Narcissus

Narcissus was a gorgeous, but egotistical young man, who spurned all his suitors. One day, he saw his reflection in the springs of Mount Helicon and fell in love with it. He wasted away there, unable to tear away from it, and as a result became the flower Narcissus, which always bows its head to its image in the water at its feet.

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Floriography became a popular pastime during the Victorian era. Most homes had, alongside a copy of the Bible, books on deciphering this “language,” although definitions shifted depending on the source. According to etiquette, flowers were used as a kind of silent dialogue, to send messages that couldn’t be spoken aloud. How flowers were presented, and their condition was exceedingly important. For example, if given upside down, the bouquet had the opposite meaning of what it was traditionally intended to convey.

When answering a question, “yes” came in the form of handing flowers using the right hand, and if the left hand was used, the answer was “no”.

The placement of the ribbon with which the flowers were tied also had meaning. If it was tied on the left side, the flowers’ symbolism applied to the giver, and if it was tied on the right it applied to the receiver.

Although formalities and meanings have changed over time, flower symbolism remains a beautiful way to convey a message to a loved one. I give a list of a few popular flowers and their meanings below, for those who are interested in engaging in clandestine conversations with their peers.

Flower name	Symbolism	Variations
Rose	·       Love ·       Beauty ·       Passion ·       Romance	·       Red: Deep love, passion ·       White: Purity, innocence, remembrance ·       Yellow: Friendship, jealousy, mourning ·       Pink: Gratitude admiration
Lily	·       Purity ·       Renewal ·       Innocence ·       Transience	·       White: Purity, virtue ·       Pink: Love, femininity, admiration ·       Scarlet: Lofty aspirations
Violet	·       Modesty ·       Loyalty ·       Faithfulness ·       Humility	·       Blue: Loyalty ·       Purple: Modesty
Tulip	·       Perfect love ·       Elegance ·       Hope ·       Friendship	·       Red: True love ·       Yellow: Cheerfulness, sunshine ·       White: Forgiveness ·       Pink: Good wishes, friendship
Orchid	·       Luxury ·       Beauty ·       Strength ·       Love	·       Pink: Femininity and grace ·       White: Pure love and beauty ·       Purple: Royalty and admiration
Iris	·       Eloquence ·       Hope ·       Wisdom ·       Friendship	·       Blue: Faith, hope ·       Purple: Wisdom, compliments ·       Yellow: Passion
Poppy	·       Sleep ·       Consolation ·       Death ·       Oblivion ·       Imagination	·       Red: Pleasure, sacrifice, remembrance ·       White: Dreams, consolation, peace ·       Yellow: Wealth, success
Carnation	·       Fascination ·       Distinction ·       Ardent love ·       Contempt	·       Red: Deep, romantic love ·       Pink:    A mother's love, I'll never forget you ·       Yellow: Rejection, disdain, disappointment
Chrysanthemum	·       Fidelity ·       Optimism ·       Joy	·       Red: Love ·       White: Loyalty ·       Yellow: Slighted love
Hyacinth	·       Rebirth ·       Passion ·       Playfulness	·       Purple: Grief, sorrow ·       Pink: Playfulness ·       Blue: Sincerity, fidelity

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When we think of flowers, we usually think of their beauty, fragrance, or the emotions they convey, but few know that flowers have played an important role in literature and poetry throughout history.

Shakespeare mentioned a lot of different kinds of flowers, plants, and herbs in his works. In Hamlet, for example, After the death of Polonius, Ophelia's father, she is heartbroken and goes mad with grief. This is most prominently seen in Ophelia's flower speech, which occurs in Act 4, Scene 5 of the play.

“There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts. ... 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. Oh, you must wear your rue with a difference. There's a daisy.”

Ophelia directly states what the rosemary symbolizes “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance”, as during Shakespeare’s time it was used for both weddings and funerals. Pansies traditionally represent thoughts. Ophelia also states this: "There is pansies, that's for thoughts" when handing the imaginary flowers out. Fennel is a quick-drying herb symbolizing sorrow, “There’s rue for you; and here’s some for me”. Columbine is a flower symbolizing affection, and daisies are a symbol of innocence and purity.

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, flower names symbolize the characters' personalities and roles. Daisy's name symbolizes surface-level purity and innocence, concealing her inner shallowness. Myrtle, another flower-inspired name, represents energy and passion, while also alluding to her coarse and aggressive personality. Both daisies and myrtles have green leaves, a color that symbolizes life and money. Nick Carraway, the main narrator of the story, also holds the name of a flower. Carraway is a flower that symbolizes maturity and rationality.

In conclusion, flowers have held a deep, symbolic significance across cultures and time periods, enriching both personal expression and literature. The timeless connection between flowers and their symbolism will always reminds us of the power of nature in capturing the essence of human experiences, emotions, and relationships.

Baltat Adnana 12D