Botanical Shakespeare

Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,Sermons in stones and good in everything. The master playwright certainly could weave good into anything, and much of his writing is adorned with the beauty of the natural world: he gives grace to some of theater’s most tragic scenes (Ophelia’s descent into insanity, Romeo's poison) by crowning them in flowers, and some of the stage’s more joyful scenes (A Winter’s Tale’s redemptive sheepshearing, for one) are grounded by the fragile mortality of the botanicals woven into the dialogue. In this floral exploration of the herbs, blossoms, and buds that grace the pages of the world's most beloved playwright, one sees just how verdant Shakespeare's wordplay is, as he interlaces both tragedy and celebration with a bit of rosemary, a sprig of cowslip. Pick out a quick quote for your favorite Aunt Rose, a cluster of lilting lines for a sweetheart, a thorny insult for an enemy, or a remembrance of a favorite herb or flower for a treasured friend. M