Here is the meaning behind the Midsommar flower crown worn by Florence Pugh’s Dani. Folk horror is a particularly chilling subgenre and is best exemplified by movies like The Wicker Man, The Blood On Satan’s Claw or Kill List. The setup for these movies typically finds an outsider – or group of outsiders – arriving in an isolated place and being confronted by the strange religious customs of the local community. The popularity of folk horror seems to have made a comeback in recent years, due to the success of movies like The Witch.
Midsommar – whose deaths represent the four elements – was another high-profile release for the subgenre in 2019. The story follows Florence Pugh’s Dani, who is grieving the sudden loss of her parents and sister, as she accompanies her emotionally distant boyfriend Christian on a trip to Sweden with his friends. They soon find they’re being hosted by a pagan cult who take their traditional customs very, very seriously. Midsommar continues director Ari Aster’s particularly uncomfortable and dread-filled brand of movie-making, as the film merges a dark relationship drama with a loose reimagining of 1973’s Wicker Man.
Midsommar’s shocking violence and unexpected humor split audiences, but even those who disliked the movie find it hard to shake off. As the title implies, the movie is steeped in the traditions of the Swedish Midsummer celebration that happens in June of every year. One of the most enduring imagines from Midsommar – which Aster crafted as a breakup movie – actually comes from its poster, which is a close-up of Dani’s anguished face as she wears a traditional flower crown.
The Meaning Behind Florence Pugh’s Midsommar Flower Crown
Midsummer itself is tied to the celebration of the summer solstice and fertility. The event is filled with dancing, food and people wearing flower crowns, which in this case relate to the idea of fertility, love and rebirth. The cult in Midsommar take their beliefs to the extreme, which includes sacrificing both cult members and outsiders to purge themselves of evil. Even the tradition of dancing around the maypole is given a dark twist, as Dani is crowned May Queen after winning and must decide if the final sacrifice is to be Christian or a cult member.
Midsommar (which features food as another important theme) might appear to be a dark cult horror, but in its own twisted way, it gives Dani a happy ending. After feeling isolated and alone throughout the story, she finds a new family in the cult who welcome her with open arms and encourage her to exorcise her negative emotions. In a sense, the meaning behind the flower crown worn by Florence Pugh’s Dani in Midsommar is one of personal rebirth after she survives unimaginable trauma. Unfortunately for Christian – whose name is no doubt an in-joke on Aster’s part – Dani’s growth and desire to move on from their toxic romance comes at a fiery cost.
Next: Every Florence Pugh Horror Movie Ranked
