Flowers Upon The Graves example essay topic
356 words
During the time of Shakespeare, the funeral ceremonies came from the Roman Catholic Church burial customs that had been around for many centuries. These ceremonies at the grave usually took several hours. In funeral processions, it was customary for a crucifix to be carried by the priest before the corpse. In some cases a cross was used in place of the crucifix because of certain religious feelings. It was ancient custom to crown the deceased with white flowers. These flowers were strewn on the corpse, and the crown or garlands were then places on the coffin. When a maiden died, it was custom to hang garlands tied with white ribbons over her grave. Some rural areas of England still to this day practice this custom. Depending on the time of year, if natural flowers were not available, evergreens and artificial garlands were used. The garlands were very important in the ceremony. The priest carried them before the corpse, as did several maidens dressed in white, and then the garlands were placed upon the grave after the burial. Flowers were continuously thrown out throughout the ceremony.
When the coffin was open, flowers were strewn upon the deceased. Then, when the coffin was lowered, flowers are thrown upon it and then placed on top of the grave at the end. The Roman Catholic Church, who got it from another ancient custom, used the custom of strewing flowers upon the graves of the departed. The process of the scattering of the flowers upon the grave is shown in Shakespeare's Hamlet. When the Queen spreads flowers over Ophelia she says, "Sweets to the sweet, farewell, /I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife-/ I thought thy bride bed to have decked, sweet maid, /And not to have strewed thy grave".
After a person passed, it was an old church custom for the church bell to be rung no more than one short peal, and one more before the burial to call the assembly together, and then one last one after the burial.
