How Daffodils Have Inspired Some of the Greatest Literary Works

 

If you’re interested in daffodils, you might already know that the yellow flowers were named after the 13th-century poet and theologian Robert de Daffordolle in the 14th century. However, what you might not know is that he would later use his passion and knowledge of daffodils to help him write some of the greatest literary works of all time (including The Divine Comedy). Here are some examples of how daffodils have inspired some of the greatest literary works throughout history.

 

To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell

The poem is a plea for a lover to accept his offer of a romantic relationship; however, it is written in an unusual way. The first two stanzas are full of metaphors involving daffodils, as he pleads with her to realize that time waits for no one and not to wait until death for love. In other words, he wants her to accept his romantic advances now, while she can still enjoy life's pleasures before they're lost. This was actually considered by many readers to be one of Marvell's most beautiful poems, in addition to one of his greatest works. It remains popular even today, more than 300 years after its creation. However, others feel that some of his language has become outdated over time. For example, he asks her to look into his eyes and see what he sees when looking at her. Many modern readers may have trouble understanding what exactly eyes have to do with love or romance. Even so, some consider it one of Marvell's best poems and perhaps even one of history's best poetry about flowers.

 

She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron

She strolls in magnificence, similar to the evening/of cloudless climes and brilliant skies/And all that is best of dull and splendid/meet in her viewpoint and her eyes;/Thus mellow'd to that delicate light/which heaven to gaudy day denies. This poem was written in 1813, inspired by a woman named Mary Anne Milbanke, who happened to have a green gown. The spark for inspiration took hold when she entered their dining room one evening wearing a green dress. Despite having already had several children together, Byron wrote that he was immediately smitten with his wife-to-be at first sight. The two were married six months later—and stayed married until his death thirty years later.

 

Narcissus by John Keats

John Keats’ Ode to a Grecian Urn is not only one of his most famous poems, but also one of his most beautiful. Nonetheless, there's something else to it besides what might be expected. What inspired him to write that particular piece? Flowers: Keats was inspired by a daffodil named Narcissus that he picked up while walking through Hampstead Heath in 1819. It's still on display at Dulwich Picture Gallery in London today. The poem itself isn't about narcissism, though; rather, it's about the shortness of human life and its inability to capture beauty. The poem ends with these lines: Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. Keats himself never married, and passed away at age 25 after suffering from tuberculosis.

John Donne's A Valediction Forbidding Mourning: Another flower-inspired literary work comes from poet John Donne. In A Valediction Forbidding Mourning, Donne uses an image of flowers to express feelings for his wife during their time apart (she had gone abroad for a few months). The title itself refers to valediction, which means farewell or leave-taking; it was used in relation to funerals or burials before funeral services became common. This helped set the tone for what would become an emotional love letter between husband and wife.

 

To My Honoured Friend Sir Edmund Bacon, at New-Hall near Bloomsbury by Ben Jonson

The long-leaved daffodil (as cited by Stephen Fry in The Ode Less Travelled) is traditionally held to symbolise modesty and humility. Ben Jonson wrote To My Honoured Friend Sir Edmund Bacon, at New-Hall near Bloomsbury to commemorate his old friend's knighthood. The poem has been widely interpreted as referring to Bacon's influence over Queen Elizabeth and also as a tribute to their earlier friendship: Ben Jonson had fallen from favour with Her Majesty after she discovered he was related to her hated rival, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. After writing To My Honoured Friend Sir Edmund Bacon, at New-Hall near Bloomsbury , Jonson never received another royal commission.

Johannes Secundus' Daffodils (Lilia): In Johannes Secundus' Daffodils (Lilia), published in 1611, allusion is made to lilies—the flowers that are used in Easter celebrations—and daffodils—the flowers that are used on Palm Sunday. This poem has been read as an allegory for Christ's crucifixion and resurrection; however, it can also be read simply as an exploration of how nature grows despite human conflict or religious turmoil.

 

Daffodils by William Wordsworth

Many people know William Wordsworth as one of England’s greatest poets. However, few realize he also wrote a wonderful little piece about daffodils. In fact, most people overlook his first book of poetry altogether. This volume is actually part autobiography and was inspired by a trip he took to France in 1790. While there, he stopped at a French friend’s house and was surprised to find that his friend had an entire field full of daffodils! He was so inspired by them that he ended up writing his famous work called I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud in just ten minutes. Since then, it has been included in every English literature class from elementary school to college courses on literary theory!

 

Sonnet XXIII by William Shakespeare

That time of year thou mayst in me behold/When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang... It's a simple sonnet with a straightforward meaning; Shakespeare uses daffodils to describe how he feels about his mistress. When daffodils bloom is usually around late March or early April. Other famous literary works that reference daffodils include Tennyson's The Daisy (1842) and T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land (1922). In fact, Eliot writes: I had not thought death had undone so many. He was probably thinking of reading The Tale of Four Daughters by Sara Coleridge and being moved by it because it ended with a description of a daffodil. As for Tennyson, he wrote The Dying Swan and Crossing the Bar both in 1832 when daffodils were blooming.

Daffodils are often associated with springtime which makes them a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings. If you're looking for some more ways to use daffodils as inspiration for your writing, try taking some pictures of them at different times throughout their blooming season then write about what each picture represents to you personally or symbolically. You could also try using flowers as symbols in your work such as roses for love or lilies for purity.

 

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth

In one poem, Wordsworth draws a parallel between his feelings and those of an individual walking through a grove of daffodils. The trailing clouds that seem to follow him represent his love for Mary Fisher, whom he met during a trip to France in 1790. In 1802, she wrote I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, which described how he was able to find beauty amid his loneliness. A year later, he went back to see her again and fell even more in love with her than before. The two were married just two months after their second meeting. Unfortunately, they didn't have much time together; Wordsworth's wife died suddenly four years later. He never remarried but continued to write poems about his sadness at losing her and about his gratitude for having loved someone so wonderful.

A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns: This poem describes how deeply in love Burns is with Mary Campbell and how much he longs to marry her despite what others might think of their relationship. To make things worse, she refuses all of his marriage proposals because she believes that marrying him would be detrimental to both their reputations—especially since Burns is already engaged to someone else!