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The
Rose and its Meaning |
The red rose is one of the most popular flowers. People buy it on Saint Valentine’s Day as it is representative of their love. It is no wonder that the rose is a symbol of love. Passionate and delicate in its nature it is fragrant and beautiful and leaves no one be indifferent to its charm. On the other hand, it can be defensive and even dangerous with its thorns. That is why, just like in love, you must be cautious and most careful when dealing with such a delicate thing. The rose, however, is certain to grab anyone’s attention so you should pay special attention to it.
The meaning of the rose depends a lot on its color. For example, if it is red, it means passion- most probably love, but it could also mean war. If the rose is white, it stands for purity and innocence. As you can see there may be a lot of ways of perceiving the meaning of a flower because of its color. It depends on the situation too. But then again, the flower itself is in the spotlight so its meaning is the prevalent one. In this case we have roses. And the meaning of the rose in international and is only one- love.
Apart from dearest feelings and affection which are intrinsic for the rose there is much more that is hidden behind this flower. Roses and history are in close relationship and you should be acquainted with it when buying a rose as a gift. The rose is one of the most ancient flowers. Actually, except the water lily, it is the oldest one ever known to mankind. It is the rose that decorates the cave walls of the Stone Age. Later on, the fame of the rose is taken to Rome where rose petals welcome the warriors who come back from war.
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When it comes to flowers and countries there is even more history that grabs you. For instance, the rose is very often related to China since this is the first country where rose gardens were managed to be cultivated. Even today, the Chinese rose is different from any other rose and astonishes you with its beauty. It requires special care but blooms and flourishes for a long time.
What is more, the rose is related to the famous War of the Roses which was a real war between England and Wales. This historical event, in de middle of which it is the rose standing, can be considered a warning of the mysterious danger of this flower.
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The name of the rose is mentioned and is very often a main character in many a literary work such as The Name of the Rose, Rose Red by Stephen King, etc. Shakespeare mentions the rose about 80 times in all his works including The Happy Prince where it is in one of the main roles.
It should come as no surprise that art and literature are so interested in the flower because the very legend of how the red rose came into existence is part of the culture of art and literature. The legend has it that there was once a white rose and a nightingale. The latter was in love with the flower and could not bare the distance anymore so it flew to embrace its love. The moment the bird touched the white flower it all covered with the nightingale’s blood and that was how the red rose came into the world. A story of the dangerous beauty of the rose; a story that says it all.