A Guide to Flower Themes in Elizabethan Plays
Flowers have long been a powerful symbol in literature, and during the Elizabethan era, they were frequently used in plays to represent a wide range of human experiences and emotions. In Shakespeare's works and the plays of his contemporaries, flowers often serve as metaphors for beauty, love, innocence, and the passage of time, while also symbolizing death, decay, and corruption. This florist guide will explore the significance of flowers in Elizabethan drama, highlighting how playwrights use them to deepen the themes of their works.
1. Symbolism of Flowers in the Elizabethan Era
In the Elizabethan period, flowers were not just decorative but deeply symbolic. During this time, the language of flowers, also known as floriography, became a popular way of conveying emotions and messages. A single flower could carry a complex set of meanings, depending on its type and context. Some of the common symbolic meanings of flowers during this era included:
Beauty and Innocence: Flowers such as roses, violets, and lilies often symbolized purity, beauty, and the virtues of youth.
Love and Passion: Certain flowers, especially roses, were closely associated with romantic love, desire, and sexual passion.
Death and Mourning: Flowers like chrysanthemums and poppies were often linked to mourning, remembrance, and the transient nature of life.
Deception and Corruption: Flowers like the "poisonous" poppy or the marigold were sometimes used to represent deceit, false appearances, or moral decay.
2. Flowers in Shakespeare's Plays
Shakespeare’s works are filled with rich imagery, and flowers often play a central role in his symbolic framework. Below are some of the key flowers in his plays and their meanings.
Roses
Symbolism: Love, beauty, youth, and sometimes, violence or conflict.
Notable Examples:
"Romeo and Juliet": In this iconic play, the rose is a prominent symbol of love and beauty. Juliet, for instance, famously states, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” This line reflects the idea that love, like a rose, is pure and transcends external labels.
"The Wars of the Roses": The rose also appears as a symbol of political conflict in Shakespeare's historical plays. The Wars of the Roses were symbolized by the red and white roses, representing the conflicting houses of Lancaster and York, respectively.
Violets
Symbolism: Modesty, humility, and innocence.
Notable Examples:
"Hamlet": Ophelia, in her famous scene before her death, hands out flowers, including violets. She says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray love, remember: and there is pansies, that’s for thoughts.” The violets, however, signify innocence lost, as Ophelia laments the absence of “faithful” love and her deteriorating relationship with Hamlet.
Lilies
Symbolism: Purity, chastity, and sometimes death.
Notable Examples:
"Hamlet": The lily also plays a significant role in Hamlet’s discourse on death. The scene with the poisoned cup and the reference to the "lilies that fester" reflects the theme of corruption and decay, as the once-pure flower has now become tainted by poison and death.
Marigolds
Symbolism: Deception, false beauty, or corruption.
Notable Examples:
"A Midsummer Night's Dream": In the play, marigolds are mentioned in relation to Puck’s magical flower. The flower symbolizes the conflict between illusion and reality, as it is used to cause love and mischief between characters.
3. Flowers in Other Elizabethan Plays
The Significance of Flowers in "The Winter's Tale"
Symbolism: Renewal and resurrection.
Notable Example: The famous scene in "The Winter's Tale" where Hermione is resurrected is associated with the imagery of flowers, particularly the "spring" that symbolizes renewal. The image of Perdita, holding flowers, represents the rebirth of innocence and love in the play.
Flowers in "Macbeth"
Symbolism: Death, guilt, and moral corruption.
Notable Example: While flowers are not as central in "Macbeth" as in some of Shakespeare’s other plays, the imagery of decay and withering is prevalent. Lady Macbeth’s famous sleepwalking scene, where she imagines washing her hands of blood, often includes references to flowers and the symbolism of moral corruption.
"Taming of the Shrew" and the Role of Flowers
Symbolism: Gender roles, beauty, and control.
Notable Example: The image of flowers is used in "Taming of the Shrew" to represent Petruchio’s control over Katherina. Flowers are associated with both the outward appearance of beauty and the inner nature of the characters, representing how their relationships evolve.
4. Floral Motifs in Non-Shakespearean Plays
Other playwrights of the Elizabethan era also employed flowers as symbols in their works.
Christopher Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus"
Symbolism: Corruption and temptation.
Notable Example: Faustus, in his pursuit of knowledge and power, is presented with the idea of a "gardener" who cultivates not just flowers, but the soul. The metaphor of flowers is used to reflect both the beauty of life and its ultimate corruption, as Faustus is led astray by temptations.
Ben Jonson’s "Volpone"
Symbolism: Deception and false appearances.
Notable Example: Jonson often used flowers to reflect his characters’ deceptive qualities. Flowers, in this case, represent the outward beauty of characters who mask their true intentions, much like the main character Volpone, whose false display of riches is meant to deceive others.
5. Flower Imagery as a Commentary on Nature and Time
In many Elizabethan plays, flowers are used to explore the passage of time, especially the fragility of life and the inevitable march toward death. Flowers bloom and die, much like human life itself. This idea often ties in with the theme of impermanence, a central motif in many works of the era.
"As You Like It": In this pastoral comedy, the forest represents a natural world where time flows differently, and flowers are a key symbol of innocence, simplicity, and the cycle of life.
"King Lear": In Lear’s descent into madness, the imagery of decay and flowers symbolizes the fragility of life and the inevitability of death, with the natural world reflecting the king’s inner turmoil.
6. Flowers in Elizabethan Drama as a Reflection of Social Hierarchy and Gender
Flowers were also used to reflect the social roles and gender dynamics of the time. In many plays, women were often depicted as beautiful, pure, and delicate, much like flowers. This type of imagery reinforced traditional gender roles and expectations. A flower’s "innocence" could be linked to a woman’s virginity or purity, while its "decay" could symbolize lost innocence or the fall from grace.
"The Duchess of Malfi" by John Webster: In this tragedy, the flower imagery is used to comment on the vulnerability of women and their inevitable destruction when caught in the schemes of corrupt men.
In Elizabethan plays, flowers are a rich source of symbolism, carrying meanings that span love, death, beauty, corruption, and renewal. Whether as metaphors for the fleeting nature of beauty and youth, or as markers of deeper themes such as corruption and decay, flowers add depth and complexity to the emotional landscape of the play. By understanding the symbolic language of flowers, we gain insight into the deeper layers of Elizabethan drama, enriching our appreciation of these timeless works.
