ABSTRACT
Roses are ambiguous in nature. Associated with Aphrodite, they stand for love and lust, but also for the sharp thorns of heartache. The rose is an ode to the Virgin Mary, while it also symbolizes the suffering of Christ. In the Romance of the Rose, in which a rose bush plays the leading role, this ambiguity is also expressed. The garden where the bush grows is a heavenly paradise, but also a garden of lust. The love of the narrator for one of the rosebuds is sweet, but also heart-breaking because he is not allowed to touch it. When he nevertheless indulges himself on the bud, this leads to the end of the bud, but fills him with bliss.
