Today we’re returning to our series of occasional blogs spread over the year and looking at British proverbs, their meanings and origins.
A proverb is a short, pithy saying that neatly expresses a commonly held truth or piece of wisdom. Proverbs have proved so useful in language that they appear in most cultures, often playing an important role in religion or spiritual teachings, as well as everyday life.
A great deal of common sense and worldly experience is encapsulated in proverbs. Today we’ll take a look at some beginning with the letter ‘H’:
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned: No ordeal awaiting the worst sinner in Hell could be worse than the contempt (and possibly reprisals!) that a man can expect from a woman he has cruelly betrayed. This proverb is usually attributed to English poet and playwright William Congreve, who in 1697 wrote: “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor Hell a fury like a woman scorned”. In the 17th century a ‘scorned woman’ was specifically one who have been betrayed in love, especially one who had been replaced by another. Whether Mr Congreve was writing from personal experience is not known! He may not have originated the phrase, as other writers were making similar comparisons around the same time, but Congreve’s version is the closest to what we now recognise as the proverb in its modern form. Like many proverbs it serves as a powerful warning, in this case to any man contemplating ‘doing the dirty’ on his other half. The choice of ‘fury’ is also deliberate, as in classical mythology the ‘Furies’ were fearful goddesses who avenged wrong and punished crime. You have been warned!
Honesty is the best policy: There are no hidden depths to the meaning of this long-established proverb, which is best proven by those who have failed to heed it. It can be found in various writings from around the year 1600, but probably predates that. Its fundamental advice is that whatever situation you find yourself in, telling the truth will usually work out best in the long run. It’s also said that if you’re going to lie you need a good memory or you’d better ‘beware your lies will find you out’. All too often this proverb is trotted out not as advance warning, but as admonishment to those who have ignored it. How many convicted criminals have stood shamefaced in the dock as the sentencing judge solemnly reminds them that ‘honesty is the best policy’? Another proverb involving horses and stable doors springs to mind.
Handsome is as handsome does: Here’s a proverb whose meaning has changed subtly over the centuries, leading to some confusion. When it was first used, around the 16th century, the word ‘handsome’ referred to chivalrous and genteel behaviour, rather than physical appearance. So the proverb literally meant that a man could only be considered chivalrous if he performed chivalrous deeds – he was defined by his actions, not by his words. Over the years ‘handsome’ has evolved a new meaning and is now widely understood to refer to good looks. This blurs the meaning of the original proverb, making it harder to interpret. ‘Good looking is as good looking does’ just doesn’t make sense, does it? Most people take it to mean something like the similar proverb that ‘beauty is more than skin deep’. In other words, the true marker of a man’s handsomeness is not his physical appearance, but the way he behaves.
He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day: ‘Running away’ is not normally a tactic advocated in stirring militaristic sayings such as “fortune favours the brave” or “he who dares, wins”, but here’s the exception. This long-lived proverb, found in various forms, takes a more practical view that sometimes a strategic retreat is the best option. Why throw away your life in a battle you cannot possibly hope to win when you could choose to fight on another day, in another place, where the odds will be more in your favour? Sometimes you have to sacrifice a battle to win the war. Of course, cynics might say this is a proverb most often ‘produced in defence’ by those who have turned ‘running away’ into a fine art. It only really holds water if you actually intend to ‘fight again another day’ and, presumably, to win.
Honey catches more flies that vinegar: The meaning of this lesser-known proverb is that soft and ingratiating encouragement will achieve far more that sharp, acidic words or criticism. If your apprentice is performing under par, a few ‘honeyed words’ are more likely to improve that performance than a damning critique. This proverb is attributed to St Frances de Sales, who lived from 1567 to 1622 and clearly acquired some wisdom in his 55 years on earth. He actually wrote that “one catches more flies with a spoonful of honey than with 100 barrels of vinegar”, suggesting that positive encouragement is a better choice because it is far more potent than the less appetising alternative.