BLOSSOM

17th April 2024

Photo Credit: Seona Anderson (Plum Blossom Perthshire April 2024)

QUOTATION

O good old man, how well in thee appears

The constant service of the antique world,

When service sweat for duty not for meed.

Thou art not the fashion of these times,

Where none will sweat but for promotion,

And having that do choke their service up

Even with the having. It is not so with thee.

But, poor old man, thou prun’st a rotten tree

That cannot so much as a blossom yield

In lieu of all thy pains and husbandry.

ORLANDO, As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 3

BLOSSOM (the act of blooming or the flower of trees or shrubs e.g. fruit trees such as Cherry, Apple, Plum)

Blossom is used metaphorically to represent youth, purity, innocence and the promise of future fruitfulness. In the quotation above Orlando praises the duty and devotion of Adam, his old servant, but tells his that he is too old to produce even the promise of labour or fruitfulness. Blossom can be used to refer to both men and women and in Titus Andronicus when the Nurse insults Tamara’s black child, Aaron says “Zounds you whore, is black so base a hue? [to the baby] Sweet blouse, you are a beauteous blossom sure.” Blossom is often coupled with ‘canker’ with the innocence and future promise being corrupted and destroyed.

More Information

Folger Shakespeare Library: Seach Shakespeare’s Works