Friday, February 25, 2011

Is a daffodil narcissistic ?

I thought it would be nice to begin these blogs with a flower that represents a beginning in itself: I hope you enjoy it.
Like the great civilizations of the past, with the death of one flower, brings a new beginning of another. Trumpeted, and most commonly known for its ring of six petals, the daffodil is known for several things. Some of these acknowledged representations vary from friendship, chivalry and hope, to the two I will be speaking on, life (a new beginning) and death. The Daffodil also known as Narcissus gets its name from a very interesting legend which stems from ancient Greek mythology. The story goes as follows: Narcissus was a son of the river god and the fountain-nymph. Narcissus, although strikingly beautiful and attracted many admirers, was very arrogant and rejected them all. Nemesis, which is the goddess of indignation against and revenge for evil deeds and undeserved good fortune, was sent to avenge the death of one of Narcissus admirers, Echo a nymph faerie, that he had spurned and rejected. Nemesis was a personification of the resentment aroused in men by those who committed crimes and got away without punishment or who had excessive good fortune. Narcissus however arrogant, and narcissistic (you get it), did fall in love and with the only person he could truly love; himself, or a form of himself, so to speak. Narcissus fell in love with his reflection and in doing so, could never tear his gaze from it. This was his punishment. Never moving and/ or being able to part from his reflection, Narcissus died and in place of where his body once was a flower was born which would be Narcissus or Daffodil. From this story we can see that not only was there death, in which Narcissus’s life was ending, but a new beginning or rebirth of something new, which was the flower. I thought it would be interesting to share this story with you because it not only shows what the flower is meant to represent but also teaches a valuable lesson I think should be learned: Vanity is wasted efforts. If you are vain, you will perish alone.

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