Throughout the Four Quartets, I have noticed the importance of roses. I have already posted a few blogs on roses, but with a more musical twist. I want to use an article in the November 1, 1885 issue of the New York Times titled "The Roses of England" as a way to organize the information that I have collected.... so here goes! Oh and a note, I think I am going to try to do this by quoting the NYT article, and then outlining underneath any other information or thoughts that I have.
"Ancient fable derives the crimson hue of many of its varieties from the blood of the heathen goddess of beauty"
- ANGLO-SAXON PANTHEON: "Freo brought fertility to people and the land. The msot beautiful of all Goddesses, she ruled love and beauty as well. People prayed to her for happiness in love. She was also associated with war, battle, death, magic, prophecy, and wealth. She receives half of the dead lost in battle in her hall. She is also associated with abundance and wealth, and is the goddess of magic"
***Thoughts: I have issues with this because I learned in another class that the Anglo-Saxons were very atheistic and pretty much believed in wyrd and nothing else. Also, I thought there was a disconnect from love in a marriage. If anyone has any further insight on this subject, I would love to hear it!
"Mediaeval writers relate that the red rose sprang from the fire-brands heaped upon an early Christian martyr at Bethlehem"
"A rose appeared in the centre of King Arthur's Round Table at Winchester, and some antiquiarians would deduce from this source its adoption as the emblem of England"
-Plantagenent Princes = War of the Roses
+Red Rose: John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancater, 4th son of Edward III
++Claim to throne: direct descendent
+++1340-1399: 4th son of Edward III and Queen Phillippa
+White Rose: Edmund, Duke of York
++Claim to throne: descendent through a female from Lionel, Duke of Clarence, third son of Edward III
+++Reigned 1327-1377; nine of his twelve children survived; war was present during the majority of his reign
+Causes of Conflict
++Both houses were direct descendents of King Edward III
++Lancatrian King Henry IV surrounded hismelf with unpopular nobles
++Civil unrest
++Powerful lords with private armies
++Mental illness of Henry IV
+"The rival houses were united by the marriage of Henry VII, the representaive of Lancaster, to Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV of York
-After the revolution of 1688 the white rose was adopted by Jacobites as the badge of the exiled house of Stuart, and the 10th of June was for a long time called White Rose ay, that being the birthday of the Pretender, as the son of James II was called."
I found it very interesting to make these connections using the article. Usually, I regard things of great symbolisim and history as being something of Classical times, but the matter of importance that is placed upon the rose in English history makes me smile. I'd be curious to know if anyone else stumbled upon information, I'd love to hear it!
They say that roses are red, but maybe those red roses were really the white roses, stained with blood
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