Love-in-idleness potion

That very time I saw (but thou couldst not)

Flying between the cold moon and the earth

Cupid all armed: a certain aim he took

At a fair vestal throned by the west,

And loosed his loveshaft smartly from his bow

As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts;

But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft

Quenched in the chaste beams of the watery moon;

And the imperial votress passed on

In maiden meditation, fancy-free.

Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell:

It fell upon a little western flower,

Before, milk-white; now purple with love's wound:

And maidens call it 'love-in-idleness'.

Fetch me that flower, the herb I showed thee once;

The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid

Will make or man or woman madly dote

Upon the next live creature that it sees.

Fetch me this herb, and be thou here again

Ere the leviathan can swim a league.   (2.1.155-74)

Hi everyone! Do you remember these lines from the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Yes, they were said by Oberon when he was telling Puck about the power of this flower called “Love-in-idleness,” which was white and once touched by Cupid’s arrow it turned purple. This flower, according to Oberon, has the power of making someone fall in love with the first creature he or she sees when waking up. However, do you know this flower? Let me tell you about it and see if it really has this magical power.

According to Health and Nature, this flower is known as Viola Tricolor, Heartsease, or Wild Pansy. This flower can be blue, white, purple, or yellow. “Heartsease is an annual or short lived perennial plant, of creeping habit, grows up to 15cm.” And it flowers from April until September. You can find it in Europe and in North America.

This plant can be used as an alternative medicine since it is a blood purifier. Thus, it can be useful when dealing with skin problems; for instance, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, or even acne. And can you believe that it also helps to cure bronchitis, asthma, arthritis, rheumatism? Moreover, Viola Tricolor has been used by Chinese people to soften tumors “(breast cancer, lung, gastrointestinal cancers).” This herb really seems to be magical, do not you think? But does it really make you fall in love with someone? I am sorry to tell you that it DOES NOT!

This potion was recreated in 2002 for Valentine's Day in order to check whether it works or not. In the article Midsummer night love potion proves a work of fiction, Derbyshire states that even though Oberon affirms that the juice of this flower on sleeping eyelids makes a person loves the first live creature he or she sees after opening his or her eyes, experts are not sure of it. The scientists who conducted the experiment suggested that William Shakespeare “would not have been a great apothecary.” The potion that made Lysander love Helena, and Titania love Bottom, was investigated by The Royal Society of Chemistry assisted by some experts from the Quest International, a company that works with fragrances and flavors.  Doctor Sell, the head of organic chemistry at Quest International, concluded: "There are scores of references to plants and herbs in Shakespeare, who was obviously very knowledgeable about their real and mythical potency. Wild pansies were noted in herbal folklore medicine. It was attributed with many properties but falling in love was probably the invention of Shakespeare." The doctor told that the potion used in A Midsummer Night’s Dream has a good fragrance, but it does not cause any amorous behavior.

Furthermore, in the article Shakespeare's Love Potion, Main cites Doctor Sell telling that the Viola Tricolor is not a flower used by the fragrance industry. As a consequence, he added the fragrance of two other flowers—also named in the play: sweet musk roses and Sweet Violet. The result of Doctor Sell’s experiment (which was combined with many other fragrances) was a sexy perfume with a seductive character. Nevertheless, he did not “notice any dramatic increase in amorous activity.” He adds that “it will be interesting to see what kind of effect the perfume might have when applied to the nape of the neck or décolleté."

In another article from the CNN, Shakespeare's love potion remixed, Director Richard Jones, a British theater director, is quoted as saying that they “have yet to see how [their] Titania reacts when she inhales the potion, but if it works, then [he] will try to get some free samples.”

As a conclusion, dear classmates, if you want to make someone fall in love with you, do not buy or create this potion because both it does not work (or maybe you just need a fairy) and the excessive use of Viola Tricolor “can cause nausea, vomiting and skin irritation.” :P

I would like to read your comments. What do you think about this experiment or about the use of this type of potions?

References:

Derbyshire, David. “Midsummer night love potion proves a work of fiction.” The Telegraph. 14 February 2002. Web. 07 October 2014.

“HEARTSEASE Viola tricolor.” Health from Nature Home remedies & Natural cures. n.d. Web. 07 October 2014.

Main, Edward. “Shakespeare's Love Potion.” BBC. n.d. Web. 07 October 2014.

“Shakespeare's love potion remixed.” CNN. 13 February 2002. Web. 07 October 2014.