>>68
Actually, this picture predates the appearance of other "Ophelias". The choice, from my point of view anyway, other than the obvious references to "floating" or "martyrdom" of that particular painting, also references the Robert Herrick line "gather ye rosebuds while ye may", thought to be a reference by a close friend of Ben Johnson to Hamlet's Ophelia, while also being a clear revival of Horace's "Carpe Diem" style, which I thought all to be fitting that particular verse. I actually almost did put this one instead, but thought it didnt evocate martyrdom enough...
For me, the inclusion of anything tied to Shakespeare's Ophelia referenced also the short lived belief, before Olivia's name was established, that Lia might have stood for Ophelia, as some of her LJ entries alluded to Ophelia's story.
Sorry to dissapoint, if so was your understanding, but it has nothing to do with what goes on in rm101, but then, yes, it might be odd, as I suppose nothing in this so-called gospel could possibly shy away from being just that, odd.