Description
Explore the enchanting world of 'A Shakespearean Botanical', a remarkable book that weaves the beauty of Shakespeare's verses with the rich tapestry of Tudor and Jacobean botanical life. Perfect for lovers of literature and gardening, this exquisite volume features fifty hand-picked quotations that delve into the significance of flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables in Shakespeare's works. From the aphrodisiac qualities of potatoes in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' to the symbolism of quinces in 'Romeo and Juliet', Margaret Willes expertly contextualizes these botanical references against the backdrop of 16th and 17th-century England. This book not only presents Shakespeare’s timeless poetry but also highlights the role of plants in everyday life, including their importance in medicine, cooking, and folklore traditions. Enhanced by stunning hand-painted engravings from the Bodleian Library's historic herbal, 'A Shakespearean Botanical' is not just a book; it’s a visual and literary feast for all who appreciate the intersection of nature and prose. Ideal for gifting, it offers a delightful insight into the origins and uses of various plants, making it a thoughtful present for literature enthusiasts or gardening aficionados. With free shipping, order now and allow up to 6 weeks for delivery, though once your order is placed, please note it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781851244379
Format: Paper over boards
Year: 2015
Publisher: Bodleian Library Publishing
Description:
When Falstaff calls upon the sky to rain potatoes in The Merry Wives of Windsor, he is highlighting the late sixteenth-century belief that the exotic vegetable, recently introduced to England from the Americas, was an aphrodisiac. In Romeo and Juliet, Lady Capulet calls for quinces to make pies for the marriage feast of her daughter. This fruit was traditionally connected with weddings and fertility, as echoed by John Gerard in his herbal where he also explained that eating quinces would 'bring forth wise children, and of good understanding'.
Taking fifty quotations centring on flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables, Margaret Willes gives these botanical references their social context to provide an intriguing and original focus on daily life in Tudor and Jacobean England, looking in particular at medicine, cookery, gardening and folklore traditions. Exquisitely illustrated with unique hand-painted engravings from the Bodleian Library's copy of John Gerard's herbal of 1597, this book marries the beauty of Shakespeare's lines with charming contemporary renderings of the plants he described so vividly.
'We closed Willes's book imagining the Bard tending an allotment in Stratford-upon-Avon, with marigolds — opening 'to adorn the day' (The Rape of Lucrece), closing 'with the sun' (The Winter's Tale) — nodding violets, and thoughtful pansies.A Shakespearean Botanicalwould make a better Christmas gift...than deadly nightshade.' —Times Literary Supplement
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781851244379
Format: Paper over boards
Year: 2015
Publisher: Bodleian Library Publishing
Description:
When Falstaff calls upon the sky to rain potatoes in The Merry Wives of Windsor, he is highlighting the late sixteenth-century belief that the exotic vegetable, recently introduced to England from the Americas, was an aphrodisiac. In Romeo and Juliet, Lady Capulet calls for quinces to make pies for the marriage feast of her daughter. This fruit was traditionally connected with weddings and fertility, as echoed by John Gerard in his herbal where he also explained that eating quinces would 'bring forth wise children, and of good understanding'.
Taking fifty quotations centring on flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables, Margaret Willes gives these botanical references their social context to provide an intriguing and original focus on daily life in Tudor and Jacobean England, looking in particular at medicine, cookery, gardening and folklore traditions. Exquisitely illustrated with unique hand-painted engravings from the Bodleian Library's copy of John Gerard's herbal of 1597, this book marries the beauty of Shakespeare's lines with charming contemporary renderings of the plants he described so vividly.
'We closed Willes's book imagining the Bard tending an allotment in Stratford-upon-Avon, with marigolds — opening 'to adorn the day' (The Rape of Lucrece), closing 'with the sun' (The Winter's Tale) — nodding violets, and thoughtful pansies.A Shakespearean Botanicalwould make a better Christmas gift...than deadly nightshade.' —Times Literary Supplement