Lavender

As Rosemary is to the Spirit, so Lavender is to the Soul (bethtrissel.wordpress, 2012)

William Shakespeare mentioned lavender in his play “The Winter’s Tale Act 4, Sc.4” “Here's flowers for you; hot lavender, mints, savory, marjoram; The marigold."(Goodreading)

Lavender has been known for its gentle and soothing fragrance since ancient times, it is also very useful for pregnant women and people who have a problems with the sleep.

Lavender was used by Greeks and Romans in public baths, the word lavender is derived from the Latin word lavare, or to wash. Lavender repels insects and also as a strewing herb, it offers a pleasing scent to us. Lavender was used to mask the scent of foul smells in the old streets, and remains a universally delicate and lovely scent for households worldwide. (Jeanroy A.)

German Commission E has approved lavender for use in case of insomnia, restlessness and nervous stomach irritations and for external use in baths for the treatment of functional circulatory disorders. 

Taking a bath in a lavender scented water, you can prevent or even relax away mild depression and anxiety. Lavender may even lower high blood pressure and improve circulation.  Oil of lavender may in some cases be effective in bringing back circulation to some part of your body that have lost feeling. Regular lavender bath can be enjoyed throughout a woman's pregnancy as it helps to relax. Lavender is a wonderful sleep aid. (Annie's Remedy)

A floral water can also be made, and used to sooth sensitive skin from rashes and quiet the heat of acne prone skin. The natural antiseptic properties are wonderfully soothing when applied to scrapes and cuts. (Jeanroy A.)

Martha Stewart wrote down a recipe of Lavender Icing that was pretty popular in Shakespearean time.

Ingridients:

1/3 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon dried lavender

3 cups confectioners' sugar

Bring milk and lavender just to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and let steep 10 minutes. Strain, and discard lavender. Whisk in sugar until smooth. Strain again. Add food coloring until desired shade. Use immediately on cupcakes or any other cake. (Stewart M. 2007)

Works cited:

Jeanroy A. (https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-use-lavender-1761783)

Goodreading (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/917099-here-s-flowers-for-you-hot-lavender-mints-savory-marjoram-the)

Bethrissel wordpress, 2013  (https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/as-rosemary-is-to-the-spirit-so-lavender-is-to-the-soul-other-herbal-quotes/)

Annie's Remedy (https://www.anniesremedy.com/lavandula-lavender.php)

Martha Stewart Living, May 2007 (https://www.marthastewart.com/340910/lavender-icing)

Shakespeare’s Italian garden

William Shakespeare lived between the XVI and the XVII century and he is considered as the most eminent poet and dramaturge of the western culture. His masterpieces are well known all around the world and some of them are even considered as the most influential examples of the man’s romantic ideals of that period, but not only. The performances of his dramaturgical operas are still nowadays dominant in the most important theatres of the world.

If we can say that almost everybody already knew what I wrote in the few lines above, maybe we cannot say the same for what I am going to write in the next ones.

Shakespeare was very interested in flora: he did not hide this passion, but he used it as an active element writing his operas. There are indeed many quotations about plants, flowers with their characteristics and features, sometimes even compared to the human soul. We can perceive this attitude in particular in the operas set in Italy. Did Shakespeare decide to do that because he was fascinated by the Italian landscapes? We've got several reasons to support that idea.

Thanks to its geography, Italy has a climate that allows the growth of many kind of species of plants and flowers. From the North to the South, passing through the islands, Shakespeare was fascinated by all that sceneries that none of them was excluded in his masterpieces: Othello, Romeo and Juliet and The Merchant of Venice belong to the category set in the Northern Italy, Coriolanus and The Tragedy of Julius Caesar in Rome, the Italian capital, located in the center of the country, and at last Much ado about Nothing and The Comedy of Errors in Sicily, an island located in the Southern Italy.

I quoted just a few of the Shakespearean masterpieces set in Italy, just to let you imagine how much the author was charmed by this country and its nature. Now let’s take a look to what kind of background Shakespeare expected to give to his “Italian” works.

Romeo and Juliet

Set in Verona, a city located in the Northern Italy, Romeo and Juliet is famous in all the world for its balcony scene.

But has anyone ever wondered which kind of flowers grew in Juliet’s garden?

In that area, spread is the growth of the Achillea, Saxifraga vandellii, Phyteuma comosum and the Saponaria, that you can see respectively in the following pictures.

Has anyone ever imagined that, while the two lovers were falling in love, they could smell the fragrance of these flowers?

The tragedy of Julius Caesar

This picture was taken in Rome, the Italian capital, known in all the world thanks to its history, and located in the center of Italy.

Who knows how many battles have been fought in these ruins?

Who can imagine how many people were there to assist them?

And what about the trees that we can see in the landscape?

They were the most assiduous spectators staying in the first line.

What we see in this picture are Pinus Pinaster, a kind of tree that grows next to the sea or where the weather is temperate. In this zone, it is common to see samples of Hedera elix, Juniperus and in spring Orchidaceae. This kind of greenery is typical in this area, where the climate is warm during the summer and the spring seasons, and not so cold during the winter and the autumn ones.

Below we can see pictures of the plants and trees that I have just mentioned.

Much Ado About Nothing

In the picture, we can see a citrus grove where Shakespeare set this masterpiece.

Can you smell the freshness of these citrus trees just looking at the picture?

Sicily, the island chosen by Shakespeare for this drama, is known for its trees, in particular Citrus and Olea europaea, which are the most important exportation source for the local trade. Indeed, these two elements are the basic foods for the Mediterranean diet. It is not difficult to understand why this scenery impressed Shakespeare so much.

Who would not want to take a walk here, breathing that unique smell, that only these kinds of places

can let you do it? Smells, colours, landscapes, flowers and trees are just a few elements that led Shakesperare to choose to set some of his dramas in this astonishing country. The nature, what sorrounds the characters, is so important for the development of the story and it is has a kind of influence on the reader’s mood.

I want to conclude citing the words of one of the main characters

of another “Italian” drama, Othello, set in Venice.

Iago: Our bodies are like gardens and

our willpower is like the gardener.

Depending on what we plant—weeds or lettuce,

or one kind of herb rather than a variety,

the garden will either be barren and useless,

or rich and productive.

Act 1, scene 3, p. 362

Trees and bushery

In this blogpost I’m going to describe some of the trees and bushery that Shakespeare has used in his works and their common and culinary uses.

Bay

Bay or bay-tree (Latin. Laurus nobilis) is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glabrous leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region and is used as bay leaf for seasoning in cooking. Bay leafs are commonly used in cooking for their distinctive flavour and fragrance. The leaves are either dried or fresh. The leaves should be removed from the cooked food before eating. The leaves are often used to flavour soups, stews, braises and pâtés in Mediterranean cuisine and beans in Brazilian cuisine. (Wikipedia, n.d.)

Indian bay leaf Cinnamomum tamala

Elder

Elder or elderberry also called Sambucus is a genus of flowering. Elderberry fruit or flowers are used as dietary supplements for minor diseases such as flu, colds, constipation, and other conditions, often served as a tea, extract, or in a capsule. Health benefits of the elder plant include naturally improving colds, the flu, sinus issues, nerve pain, inflammation, chronic fatigue, allergies, constipation and even cancer. (Dr. Axe, 2017)

Sambucus berries (elderberries)

Herb of grace

Ruta graveolens, commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of Ruta grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is now grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its bluish leaves, and sometimes for its tolerance of hot and dry soil conditions. It is also cultivated as a medicinal herb, as a condiment, and to a lesser extent as an insect repellent. Rue has a culinary use, but since it is bitter and gastric discomfort may be experienced by some individuals, it is used sparingly. (Wikipedia, n.d.)

Common rue in flower

Ivy

Hedera, commonly called ivy , is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, north-western Africa and across central-southern Asia east to Japan and Taiwan. Ivies are very popular in cultivation within their native range and compatible climates elsewhere, for their evergreen foliage, attracting wildlife, and for adaptable design uses in narrow planting spaces and on tall or wide walls for aesthetic addition, or to hide unsightly walls, fences and tree stumps. Numerous cultivars with variegated foliage and/or unusual leaf shapes have been selected for horticultural use. (Wikipedia, n.d.)

Hedera algeriensis

Line

Line on lime-tree or linden tree is a tree native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree produces fragrant and nectar-producing flowers, the medicinal herb lime blossom. They are very important honey plants for beekeepers, producing a very pale but richly flavoured monofloral honey. The flowers are also used for herbal teas and tinctures. Linden trees produce soft and easily worked timber, which has very little grain and a density of 560 kg per cubic metre. It was often used by Germanic tribes for constructing shields. It is a popular wood for model building and for intricate carving. Lime flower tea has a pleasing taste, due to the aromatic volatile oil found in the flowers. The flowers, leaves, wood, and charcoal (obtained from the wood) are used for medicinal purposes. Linden flowers are used in herbalism for colds, cough, fever, infections, inflammation, high blood pressure, headache (particularly migraine), and as a diuretic (increases urine production), antispasmodic (reduces smooth muscle spasm along the digestive tract), and sedative. (Wikipedia, n.d.)

Tilia flowers

Limewood Saint George by Tilman Riemenschneider, circa 1490

Meldar

Mespilus germanica, known as the medlar or common medlar, is a large shrub or small tree, and the name of the fruit of this tree. The fruit has been cultivated since Roman times, and is unusual in being available in winter, and in being eaten when bletted. It is eaten raw and in a range of dishes. Mespilus germanica pomes are one of the few fruits that become edible in winter, making it an important tree for gardeners who wish to have fruit available all year round. Mespilus germanica fruits are hard and acidic, but become edible after being softened, 'bletted', by frost, or naturally in storage given sufficient time. Once softening begins, the skin rapidly takes on a wrinkled texture and turns dark brown, and the inside reduces to the consistency and flavour reminiscent of apple sauce. This process can confuse those new to medlars, as a softened fruit looks as if it has spoiled. Once bletted, the fruit can be eaten raw and is often eaten as a dessert, or used to make medlar jelly. (Wikipedia, n.d.)

Foliage and fruit

Bletting begins on one side of the fruit. Bletted flesh is brown; ripe but unbletted flesh is white.

Links used:

1.      https://draxe.com/elderberry/

2.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus

3.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf

4.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruta_graveolens

5.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedera#Uses_and_cultivation

6.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia

7.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus_germanica

Shakespeare's quotations

In the video below, you can get a glimpse of how Shakespeare made use of the various aspects of the natural world to create vivid imagery. 

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary, is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs. The name "rosemary" derives from the Latin for "dew" (ros) and "sea" (marinus), or "dew of the sea". (Adrian Room, 1988)

According to myth, the Virgin Mary is said to have spread her blue cloak over a white-blossomed rosemary bush when she was resting, and the flowers turned blue. The shrub then became known as the "Rose of Mary". Rosemary was considered sacred to ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. (ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee, 1988) Since ancient Roman times the herb was used in burial rites for this reason, to several accounts of funerals in England where mourners traditionally tossed bouquets of rosemary on top of coffins. Rosemary is a herb that has long been associated with remembrance and death. In this respect, rosemary is probably best associated with Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5; “Ophelia in her madness names plants that were known for their capacity to ease pain, particularly inwardly felt pain” – “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember.”

Rosemary is at home in Mediterranean dishes and pairs perfectly with lamb, chicken, potatoes, bread and tomatoes. Nigella Lawson has taken the time to create this amazing Shakespearean Rosemary Remembrance Cake, recipe can be found below.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE FILLING

1 eating apple (approx 180g in weight)

2 sprigs fresh rosemary (1 small and 1 long)

1 teaspoon sugar

zest and juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon butter

FOR THE CAKE BATTER

225 grams butter

150 grams sugar (plus 1 tablespoon)

3 large eggs

300 grams flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

METHOD

Peel, core and roughly chop the apple and put into a saucepan with the small sprig of rosemary, the teaspoon of sugar, the lemon zest and juice, and butter. Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 4-8 minutes until the apple is soft. How long this takes really depends on the variety of apple you're using. Coxes cook the fastest, and are good here.

Leave to cool, and fish out the rosemary sprig when it is cold.

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line a 450g loaf tin with a loaf liner, or butter and line the bottom with baking parchment.

Put the cooled apple into a food processor and blitz to a pulp. Then add the butter, 150g of sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder and process to a smooth batter.

Spoon and scrape into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle the surface with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and then lay the long sprig of rosemary along the centre of the cake. On baking, the rosemary sheds its oil to leave a scented path down the middle of the cake.

Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean, then leave to cool on a rack. Slip the paper-lined cake out of the tin once it is cool.

Works cited

- Room, Adrian (1988). A Dictionary of True Etymologies. Taylor & Francis. p. 150

- "Rosemary" ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee (Qld) Incorporated, 1988

- Nigella Lawson "Feast", 2004

About us

This blog was created because we are working on a project called Green Shakespeare.

Our project group consists of 7 students (5 from Estonia, 1 from Italy and 1 from Turkey)

Kristina studies English and English culture at Tallinn University.

Indrek studies English language and culture at Tallinn University.

Eliise majors in English Philology and minors in Handicraft and Home Economics.

Birand studies Literature, Visual Culture and Film Studies at Tallinn University.

Triin majors in English language and English culture in Tallinn University.

Kristel studies Educational Technology at Tallinn University.

Lucia studies English and Russian in Italy and she is in Tallinn University as an Erasmus student.