English rose (epithet)
English rose is a description, associated with English culture, that may be applied to a naturally beautiful woman or girl who is from or is associated with England. It can also be used as a veiled insult - as a rose will bloom and fade so may a woman have great beauty in her youth but then quickly lose it.
The description has a cultural reference to the national flower of England, the rose,[1] and to its long tradition within English symbolism.
Use in arts
The term "English rose" is found in Merrie England (1902), a comic opera written by Basil Hood. He describes a garden where "women are the flowers" and in which "the sweetest blossom" or "fairest queen" is "the perfect English rose".[2] The words are performed by a tenor in the role of Sir Walter Raleigh (1554–1618), in the presence of a May Queen, but regarding his secret love (purely within the opera), a member of the household of Elizabeth I.
At the Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, Elton John performed a new version of his 1974 hit, "Candle in the Wind", which began with the adapted lyrics, "Goodbye England's rose...".[3]
"Last of the English Roses" is a 2008 song by singer/songwriter Pete Doherty from his album Grace/Wastelands. English Rose is the name of the 2019 debut album by singer/songwriter Connie Constance; its first song is also titled "English Rose".
Notable "English roses"
- Caroline Aherne (1963–2016), actress, comedian and writer[citation needed]
- Julie Andrews (born 1935), actress, singer and author[4][5]
- Ella Balinska (born 1996), actress[6]
- Kate Beckinsale (born 1973), actress[7]
- Helena Bonham Carter (born 1966), actress; label applies to her early roles[8]
- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (born 1982)[9]
- Emma Corrin (born 1995), actress[10]
- Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997)[11]
- Lynne Frederick (1954–1994), actress[12]
- Olivia Hussey (born 1951), actress[citation needed]
- Lily James (born 1989), actress[13]
- Felicity Jones (born 1983), actress[citation needed]
- Keira Knightley (born 1985), actress[14][15]
- Vivien Leigh (1913–1967), actress[citation needed]
- Hayley Mills (born 1946), actress[citation needed]
- Rosamund Pike (born 1979), actress[16]
- Emma Watson (born 1990), actress[17]
- Rachel Weisz (born 1970), actress[18]
- Kate Winslet (born 1975), actress[19]
See also
- May Queen
- Peaches and cream (Wiktionary definition)
- Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
- Yamato nadeshiko
- List of people known as the Beautiful
- List of people known as the Fair
References
- ^ "England's National Symbols". englandforever.org/. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ^ Dent, Susie, ed. (2012). Brewer's dictionary of phrase & fable (19th ed.). Edinburgh: Chambers. p. 445. ISBN 978-0-550-10245-4.
- ^ Davis, Sheila (15 October 1992). The songwriters idea book. ISBN 978-0-89879-519-6. Archived from the original on 20 April 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
I thought it was very important to project it from a nation's standpoint. I wanted to make it sound like a country singing it. From the first couple of lines i wrote [which began "Goodbye England's Rose"], the rest sort of fell into place.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ Cinema Year by Year: The Complete Illustrated History of Film. Dorling Kindersley. 2006. p. 470.
- ^ "As Millie, a real Julie Blossoms". Life magazine. 28 April 1967.
- ^ Coates, Hannah (7 September 2020). "5 Easy Steps To The Prettiest English Rose Make-Up Look". Vogue. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ "Kate Beckinsale: English pearl". BBC. Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Helena Bonham Carter: Wicked fun of the wilted English rose". The Times. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ Kosin, Julie (25 August 2014). "The Enduring Appeal of Kate Middleton and Kate Moss". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ^ Coates, Hannah (7 September 2020). "5 Easy Steps To The Prettiest English Rose Make-Up Look". Vogue. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ "Diana: An English Rose". Royalty Magazine. 23 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019.
- ^ Edwards, Jonathan (1 January 2020). "Lynne Frederick Remembered » We Are Cult". We Are Cult. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
- ^ Mottram, James (15 March 2015). "Disney's Cinderella: Why Downton Abbey star Lily James is not just another English rose". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ "32 Times Keira Knightley Was The Ultimate English Rose". Elle. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "5 Easy Steps To The Prettiest English Rose Make-Up Look". Vogue. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "Pike: I'm not just an English rose". Belfast Telegraph. 4 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "Emma Watson is turned into wax at Madame Tussauds". Metro. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
She's a true English rose known and loved by millions of film and fashion fans around the world"
- ^ "Rachel Weisz – Biography". Hello!. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ^ "Kate Winslet: The golden girl". The Independent. Archived from the original on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2020.