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Representing emotions, themes, and even character development
- For centuries, flowers have been used as symbols in literature, often representing emotions, themes, and even character development. Each flower carries a unique significance, transcending language barriers and offering a universal mode of communication.
medium.com/stories-on-the-go/the-language-of-flowers-how-floral-symbolism-shapes-literature-25b8e29683cfThe Language of Flowers: How Floral Symbolism Shapes Literature
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Flowers as symbolism play a significant role in literature and art throughout many centuries in all the major literary works. Flowers are known as a non-verbal communication tool mostly to express gratitude or ask for forgiveness.
- Anemone
- Hyacinth
- Carnation
- Lotus
- Lily
- Narcissus
- Rose
- Poppy
- Violet
- Sunflower
Also known as the ‘windflower’ the red anemone is often found within Greek mythology and is linked to the death of Adonis, the god of beauty and attraction, and Aphrodite’s male counterpart. There are a few different versions of the origin story of Adonis’ red anemone association. The story goes that Adonis was hunting one day and wounded a boar, w...
Another flower often found in Greek mythology, the hyacinth is a representation of Hyacinthus, a man belonging to Sparta who was loved by Apollo, the god associated with the sun, although not the original sun god. This origin story, too, has multiple endings, although by most accounts it begins in the same way. The legend goes that one day Apollo w...
Carnations are prevalent in literature in many cultures and mean different things to different people. The native Indians of Mexico see these flowers as the flowers of the dead and often spread these flowers around corpses being prepared for burial. For the Flemish people of Europe, pink carnations were typically associated with weddings and red ca...
The lotus represents a myriad of different things. To some, the lotus is associated with the sexual power of females and fertility. To others, it is associated with rebirth or birth. The lotus began with the ancient Egyptians, who believed that Isis(then known as Aset), the goddess of healing and magic, was born out of a lotus flower. Ancient Egypt...
The lily also has different meanings within different cultures. The ancient Egyptians associated the plant with Upper Egypt, or the southern part of the country at the time. The ancient Near East, civilizations within the region of the modern Middle East, such as Mesopotamia, used the lily to symbolize Ishtar, also known as Astarte, the goddess of ...
In Greek mythology, the narcissus flower, also known as the daffodil, is associated with the hunter Narcissus, who is also often called the god of vanity. The legend goes that Narcissus spurned the advances of all who fell in love with him. The gods became angered by his lack of sympathy for his rejected suitors and made him fall in love with his r...
In Roman culture, the rose was associated with the goddess Venus, the goddess of love. It was a symbol of beauty, rebirth, and death. It was common practice for Romans to plant roses on graves. Christians eventually adopted the rose into their religious culture, as well. The rose is a symbol of Mary, who was sometimes also known as the Holy Rose or...
In Greek mythology poppy flowers are representative of Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Morpheus, the god of dreams. A certain type of poppy found in the Mediterranean region produces a substance that is used to make opium, a drug used in ancient times to induce sleep and ease pain. The name of the drug morphine, which is made using opium, is derived ...
There are many myths surrounding the origin of the violet flower. The most prominent storyin Greek mythology is that of Zeus, god of the sky and father to all gods and humans, and Io, a young woman whom Zeus had fallen in love with. One legend says that to hide his love for Io from his wife, Hera, queen of the Greek gods, Zeus hid himself and Io in...
During the day, sunflowers turn their heads to face the sun as it moves across the sky, slowly rotating on their long stalks. In Greek mythology the sunflower came out of the legend of Clytie and Apollo, explaining the flower’s movement. Clytie, either a princess of Babylon or a water nymph, depending on which version of the legend is being told, f...
Apr 14, 2023 · Flowers have been used as symbols in literature and poetry for centuries, often representing emotions, ideas, and virtues. This secret language of flowers, also known as floriography, allowed authors and poets to convey complex emotions and messages through their choice of blooms.
Oct 15, 2021 · Roses are sometimes known as the queen of flowers, and they are perhaps the richest in symbolism, whether in Christianity, classical myth, or modern (especially romantic) literature. But the symbolism of roses is a curious topic, because red and white roses have attracted such starkly different connotations.
Flowers have long been utilized as powerful symbols in literature, conveying complex emotions, themes, and ideas. From Shakespeare’s plays to classic novels, the language of flowers has played a significant role in enhancing the literary experience.
Nov 23, 2018 · The current author began using the language of flowers in Literary Calligraphy® art work in the mid-1980s by hand-copying a first list in the rare book room of the University of Virginia and over time collected dozens of Victorian language of flowers books. The author has created a series of watercolors and limited edition prints based on the ...
