The association between fruit and death may seem odd at first glance. However, throughout history and across cultures, certain fruits have taken on symbolic meaning related to death. In this article, we will explore some of the fruits that have become linked with death and examine the origins and significance behind these connections.
Pomegranate
One of the most prominent fruits associated with death is the pomegranate. In Greek mythology, the pomegranate is known as the “fruit of the dead” and is tied to the story of Persephone. According to legend, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades and taken to the Underworld. While there, she ate six pomegranate seeds, which bound her to that realm for six months out of the year. Her annual return to the Underworld represents the changing of the seasons – her presence above ground brings spring and summer, while her time below signals the coming of fall and winter.
Beyond this myth, the pomegranate’s deep red color and abundance of seeds have led it to symbolize death and rebirth across many cultures. In ancient Egypt, pomegranates were buried with the dead as they represented eternal life. In Judaism, pomegranates are eaten on Rosh Hashanah to signify a blessed new year. In Christianity, they are seen as representing the resurrection of Jesus. And in Hinduism, the pomegranate blossom contains Brahma, the creator of life.
Origins of the Pomegranate’s Association with Death
The pomegranate’s symbolic connections to death and rebirth likely originated in ancient Persia. The pomegranate was one of the three blessed fruits in the Persian Book of Kings, a historical text dating back to the 11th century BCE. Ancient Persians saw the pomegranate as representing the mysterious connection between life, death, and rebirth. Pomegranate trees were an important part of Persian gardens and paradise imagery. The abundance of seeds and the blood-red juice contributed to the pomegranate’s aura of mysticism and association with human vitality and regeneration.
Role in Greek Mythology
In Greek mythology, the pomegranate features prominently in the story of Persephone, as previously mentioned. Her consumption of the pomegranate seeds binds her to Hades and the Underworld for part of the year, providing an explanation for the changing seasons. The pomegranate thus became known as the “fruit of the dead” in Greek mythology and culture, solidifying its symbolic connection to death and rebirth.
Apples
Apples have also been prominently associated with death across cultures, myths, and religions. In Greek mythology, the goddess of discord, Eris, inscribed a golden apple with the word “kallisti,” meaning “for the fairest.” When this apple was thrown into the wedding party of Peleus and Thetis, it provoked conflict among the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite as they vied for the title of fairest. Their quarrel eventually led to the Trojan War, resulting in death and destruction.
In Norse mythology, the goddess Iðunn was the keeper of golden apples that maintained the eternal youth of the gods. When she and her apples were kidnapped, the gods began to grow old and frail. The message was clear – without Iðunn’s apples, the gods would die.
The Bible also contains symbolic apple imagery related to death. In the Song of Solomon, the lyric “comfort me with apples” is believed by some to refer to the immortality gained through Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. And the apple given to Adam by Eve, leading to their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, is often seen as the start of mortality for humankind.
Symbolism of Apples in Folklore and Literature
In European folklore, apples have retained connotations of death and the mystical realm. One legend proposes that the apple tree originated from the Garden of Hesperides, where golden apples gave immortality. When Eve picked the forbidden fruit, it grafted with the Tree of Knowledge to create the first apple tree.
Apples make symbolic appearances in various literary works with connections to demise. In Arthurian legend, Avalon is known as the “Isle of Apples,” an island where King Arthur was taken after his final battle to recover from his wounds or die. And in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth sees an apparition of a bloody child holding a “dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain” – visualized as an apple, fruit of madness and downfall.
Oranges
Oranges are linked to death and mourning particularly in European and American culture. There are a few origins of this funerary meaning for the orange.
Firstly, oranges contain the color orange, which is connected to harvest and autumn – the season of dying and darkness approaching. Secondly, oranges have served a practical purpose at funerals and burials. The vitamin C in oranges was believed to mask the scent of decay. Mourners would carry pomanders made of oranges and cloves or simply toss orange peels into graves to help cover the smell of decomposition.
During the Victorian era, oranges became a popular decoration at American funerals. They were also sometimes sent as gifts to convey sympathy at a loved one’s passing. The orange color reminded the recipient that death was not permanent, and their deceased loved one would eventually rise to a new life, just as the sun always rises again.
Signifying Mourning in Art
The orange as a symbol of mourning and death also crept into art and portraiture. In paintings memorializing the dead, oranges served as reminders of both death and eternal life. They became so ubiquitous in funeral portraits that during the 18th and 19th centuries, the phrase “Give him an orange” meant to depict the subject as deceased in a memorial painting.
Famous examples include Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s portrait of arecently deceased young girl holding two oranges. And John Everett Millais’ painting of the drowned Ophelia floating downriver clings to a branch with oranges, representing her death.
Lemons
Lemons too have become associated with death in some cultures, particularly in New Orleans Louisiana. During the New Orleans Jazz Funerals held after someone’s passing, attendees are given lemons as a symbol of mourning. What’s the meaning behind this?
Firstly, lemons suggest the bitterness of death and grief. Their sour juice represents tears shed by mourners. The lemon’s yellow color also evokes the pallor of a corpse.
Lemons given out at funerals serve as a remembrance – attendees are encouraged to keep the lemons after returning home to preserve the memory of the departed. The impermanence of the decaying lemon reminds us of mortality.
But lemons also represent life and hope. As a vitamin rich citrus fruit, they are tied to vitality and freshness. And their bright yellow conveys sunshine and light. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade – even after death, life goes on.
Origin in Africa
The tradition of lemons at funerals emerged from the African spiritual practices that influenced New Orleans culture. In parts of West Africa, lemons were believed to repel evil spirits that might haunt the living after a death. Lemons were thus left at burial sites or graves to protect the living.
This evolved into the custom of handing out lemons to funeral goers for protection. The lemon accompanied the dead and returned home with mourners as a spiritual safeguard. When this tradition arrived in New Orleans along with West African slaves, it became integrated into the local jazz funeral tradition.
Conclusion
Fruit has taken on rich symbolic meaning across cultures, often becoming tied to concepts like death and rebirth. Pomegranates, apples, oranges, and even lemons have become funerary fruits, weaving their way into myths, legends, traditions, art, and literature. While each fruit has its own distinct mythology, they all seem to hint at the cyclical nature of life, death, and regeneration.
So the next time you come across one of these funeral fruits, take a moment to reflect on its time-honored association with mortality. Let the seeds of the pomegranate remind you of life’s interconnectedness. Feel the tartness of the lemon as grief’s sting. And see the orange as the bright hues of renewal. Fruit has wisdom to impart about our impermanent human journey if you just let it speak.
Additional Questions
Here are some additional questions related to the article and their quick answers:
What other fruits are associated with death?
Other fruits linked to death include grapes, which reference wine used in Christian communion rituals for eternal life; berries like blackberries and mulberries for their dark color evoking rot and decay; and persimmons because their red interior resembles flesh or blood.
Are there any fruits associated with life?
Fruits more commonly associated with life and vitality include apples, oranges, and pomegranates due to their seeds and promise of new growth; grapes and berries for their use in wine and sustenance; coconut and dates for their nourishing properties; and banana and fig for their, ahem, suggestive shape.
Do fruit symbols vary between cultures?
Yes, fruit symbolism is very culturally dependent. For example, peaches represent immortality in China, while in France they are tied to youth and spring. Pineapples signify hospitality in the American south, but demise in parts of Europe. Cultural context shapes the symbolic meaning of fruit.
Why were oranges used in Victorian American funerals?
Oranges became popular at Victorian American funerals because: 1) their orange color evoked autumn and dying foliage 2) their vitamin C masked unpleasant odors 3) their round shape and sunny color promised new life and resurrection after death. Additionally, the custom may have origins in European folklore about magical oranges from the Garden of Hesperides.