Why Basil?

In John Keat’s Isabella, or The Pot of Basil, Isabella, famously beautiful girl of wealthy family falls madly in love with a common laborer named Lorenzo. The two lovers hate being away from the other, and so passionate is their love that Isabella falls ill without Lorenzo’s love. Lorenzo and Isabella experience blissful days of love until Isabella’s older brothers, being cruel and angered at their sister for loving a common peasant, secretly kill Lorenzo and bury him in the forest. The brothers tell Isabella that Lorenzo has left for regions unknown, but Isabella meets her lover in a dream and there discovers the cause of his absence. Isabella finds Lorenzo’s corpse in the forest, but cannot take her (very dead) lover with her. She resolves instead to cut off Lorenzo’s head and take it with her. Once home, Isabella’s still-passionate love for Lorenzo dictates that he be with her always, and so:

“she wrapp’d it up; and for its tomb did choose

A garden-pot, wherin she laid it by

And cover’d it with mould, and o’er it set

Sweet Basil, which her tears kept ever wet.”

            …the rest of the story is well known. I wondered, though, why Isabella chooses to bury her lover’s head in a flower pot, and then, of all the plants that a wealthy family in Spain could possibly have, choose to anoint her lover with “Sweet Basil”. Why not roses, the classic romantic flower of love, or some other flower of passion? What about a cactus? What symbolism does a smelly, funny tasting herb-bush have growing out of Lorenzo’s head in Keat’s epic passion-filled poem?

            Basil, as it turns out, possesses not only a spicy clove-like aroma, great taste, powerful seasoning, and the delicacy of Italian cuisine, but also a symbolic footing in lore and legend. Originally from Asia, Ocimum Basilicum was revered by many religions for having magical properties. A sacred herb in the hindu religion, a hindu must be buried with a basil leaf on his head in order to get to heaven. In addition, basil in India is called “Tulasi”, named after a Hindu goddess who remained faithful to her husband straight to her death. Tulasi is a goddess of faithfulness and is supposed to keep women from becoming widows. Thus, basil became a symbol of love and eternal life. Basil also found its niche in Greek mythology, being associated with Aphrodite and other love goddesses. This Greek connection played out into roman culture, where it symbolized love and is thought to attract husbands to wives. Young maidens in Italy will wear a sprig of basil in their hair or place a pot of basil in their window to profess their availability to young men. And finally, a direct hit from Sicily: Basil is associated with love and death in Sicilian folklore when it sprouts from the head of (who else but) Isabetta of Messina’s slain lover.

            Basil continues to branch out into numerous different meanings, symbolisms, and uses across Hindu, Christian, and pagan religions, representing anything from love and life, wealth and death, stimulant and intoxicant, to polar opposite associations like hatred and scorpions, Basil has a great importance in Isabella, or the Pot of Basil. It’s not so much of a random plant covering Lorenzo after all.

Check out Article Alley’s “Basil for Everything” for more on Basil’s history and importance.

Also check out the below links, I used them for reference.

1. http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodlore/a/basillore.htm
2. http://www.basilguide.com/history-of-basil.cfm
3. http://nepspeed82.blogspot.com/2007/04/basil-as-aphrodisiac.html