Oranges have long been associated with love and romance. Their bright, cheerful color and sweet juicy flavor make them a popular gift between loved ones. But how did the orange become such a strong symbol for feelings of affection? Do oranges really relate to love, or is this just a manufactured association?
In this article, we’ll explore the history and meaning behind oranges as a symbol of love. We’ll look at origins in mythology, use in art and literature, and modern associations with romance. With information on citrus symbolism and cultural traditions, we can better understand the links between oranges and love.
Origins in Mythology
Some of the earliest connections between oranges and love come from ancient mythology. In Greek mythology, the golden apple was considered a fruit of romance associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. While not specifically oranges, golden apples were a similar vibrantly colored citrus fruit that symbolized desire and passion.
Additionally, the Chinese legend of the orange tree describes how an orange tree grew after a young scholar wrote a love letter on a tangerine peel which was transfigured into a tree by the gods as a reward for his devotion. This tale links oranges as gifts from the gods representing true love.
So even in ancient myths, the orange was seen as a fruit of fertility, blossoming relationships, and divine favor for romance. This established an early cultural belief in oranges as symbols for love that continued in later art and literature.
Use in Art and Literature
Oranges as a symbol of love and marriage became extremely common in Renaissance art and literature. At a time when betrothal agreements were being formally arranged, oranges were a popular engagement gift between noble families entering marriage contracts. The exchange of oranges represented the legal bonding of the couple.
In Renaissance paintings of betrothals and weddings, oranges were frequently included as a marker of the marriage union. Dramatic scenes of mythological love stories also incorporated oranges as visual symbols of the romantic theme. For example, Diego Velázquez’s 1630 painting, The Birth of Venus, depicts the goddess Venus emerging from the sea on a shell, surrounded by cherubs holding oranges above her head as a sign of her role as the deity of love and procreation.
Beyond painting, oranges and orange blossoms were included in love poetry and songs during the Renaissance as well. Shakespeare makes reference to “an orange wife” in Love’s Labours Lost in reference to marriage, and orange blossoms are mentioned in wedding tunes and verses of the time.
Traditions Around the World
The association of oranges and weddings translated into traditions around the world as well. Oranges were incorporated into wedding customs across many cultures:
| Culture | Orange Wedding Tradition |
|---|---|
| Morocco | The bride is sprayed with orange blossom water to purify her before the wedding. |
| Spain | Couples are showered with orange blossoms at festival weddings. |
| Germany | Oranges decorated the bride’s head wreath and wedding altars. |
| United States | Oranges are thrown at the departing newlyweds. |
The fragility and beauty of orange blossoms made them an ideal decoration at traditional weddings, symbolizing both fertility and innocence. Dressing the bride with orange blossoms was thought to ensure she would bear many children. And oranges became a popular throwing item at weddings since their spherical shape was supposed to represent prosperity for the new couple.
Meaning in Romantic Gestures
Today oranges are still incorporated into romantic gestures:
– Giving a sweetheart oranges or tangerines on Valentine’s Day is a common modern courting ritual.
– During Christmas, an orange stuck with cloves and placed in stockings represents the fruits of the harvest and marital bliss.
– Orange blossom flowers are a traditional bridal bouquet choice representing innocence and fertility.
– Giving a “love orange” engraved with a partner’s name is a romantic communication of one’s feelings.
So for hundreds of years, across continents, the orange has maintained symbolic meaning as a sign of romantic interest, mutual affection, and matrimonial intentions. Their bright enthusiasm and sweetness give them broad appeal as an icon of relationships blooming into full fruit.
Conclusion
In review, oranges have a longstanding connection to romance and marriage across cultures. But how did this orange and love association begin? Some of the earliest roots trace back to ancient mythology linking citrus fruits to goddesses and energies of fertility and desire. The color and vitality of oranges inspired their incorporation into Renaissance art and literature as icons of blossoming romance. Orange blossom wedding traditions spread globally, and oranges became a favored romantic gift. Even now, oranges are gifted between sweethearts and integrated into wedding rituals, continuing centuries of symbolism tying oranges to relationships and love.
So while the association between oranges and affection may have been cultivated over time, it has genuinely permeated human traditions. When giving oranges or decorating with their blossoms, people do feel a sense of celebration, prosperity, and blissful intimacy. Therefore, while manufactured at some point in history, the orange does seem to stir real sensations of romance, and can rightly be called a natural symbol of love.
