Sherlock Fandom Archive

cheuwing:

just-sort-of-happened:

joebidenfanclub:

the internet tells me that white roses are a traditional wedding flower and that they represent pure, eternal love and i’m losing my damn mind

@cheuwing check this out 

Thank you @just-sort-of-happened​ and @tendergingergirl​ to share this post with me! ❤️

Wow, amazing catch, @joebidenfanclub​! It was actually one of my projects to check for (white) roses throughout the show! 🙂

The white rose is indeed a symbol of pure eternal love, as well as secret or silent love. The flower is associated with trust, reverence and admiration, and also displays a message of “I am worthy of you”, which seems important when we think of Sherlock and John.

Should it be a coincidence that white roses make a flamboyant appearance at John & Sherlock, um I mean Mary’s wedding, on John & Sherlock’s boutonnieres over their hearts? (the universe is rarely so lazy) [on Mrs Hudson’s too, and we know she’s the strongest shipper!]

Additionally, I think the bloom of the flowers might be important here – in the second series, it seems the roses tend to be more closed, whereas in TSOT and series 4, there are full bloom. The love and relationship between John and Sherlock is evolving, blooming. (Also, white rosebuds = pure, innocent love, young heart innocent of love – which is interesting when we think of the characters in the first series)

I believe we have to specifically track the evolution of the roses throughout the show to be sure. That sounds like a promising project!!!

Last remarks:

• In Greek mythology, white roses were associated with Aphrodite: as she sprang forth into life from the foaming sea, white roses grew where the foam fell to the ground.
• I believe Moffat and Gatiss (most likely the later in particular) know their Victorian language of flowers really well. In the Victorian era, bouquets of white roses were offered as a beginning of a courtship. Also, it was Queen Victoria herself that made white roses so popular at weddings – at her own wedding in 1840, white roses were everywhere.
• I’m not entirely sure, but I think there are twelve roses in the vase in the two first shots? Twelve roses are offered as a declaration of love (completeness & perfect love) – and twelve white roses stand for “secrecy, innocence or purity”. Very Johnlock, methinks? But I’m not entirely sure ^^
• There are so many things to say about the last shot?! John with what looks like a large bloodstain pooling at his feet, in a very white room with luminous nature outside, with white roses at his right (flowers that can be a symbol of remembrance and spiritual love for the departed)… To me, it screams “John trapped between life and death” (just like Sherlock in HLV). (Yes, I believe we’re trapped in John’s “mind creepy bungalow” in TFP). Beautiful shot!