"A Dog's Revenge" Comparative Viability of an Early Modern Verbal, Pictorial, and Dramatic Proverb

Year 2024, Issue: 17, 45 - 58, 28.06.2024

Jameson Kısmet Bell

https://doi.org/10.38060/kare.1461888

Abstract

This article presents a comparative study of three media modalities by which the proverb “a dog’s revenge” is presented in the sixteenth and seventeenth century Latin, German, and English contexts. A proverb can be briefly defined as a short pithy saying in general use. However, when one moves beyond a linguistic interpretation to an analysis of the material, these concise sayings that many people know and use assume an instability similar to aphorisms, sententia, maxims, dicta, or other short forms. By comparing the materials of the short proverbial saying “A dog’s revenge” in Erasmus’ Adages (1532), Mathius Holzwart’s emblem book Emblematum Tyrocinia (1581), and William Shakespeare’s seventeenth century drama, Cymbeline (1611), this article emphasizes the viability of the proverb beyond speech acts. Whether oral, graphic, pictorial, dramatic, or some other medium, focus on a proverb’s materiality shows that the life of a proverb is woven into its citationality in various media and materials, not just speech. Unpacking the tension between the signified meaning of proverbial speech and its material form also reveals the potential inviability, or death of the proverb through alternate uses, forgetfulness, or disuse.

Keywords

Proverb, Materiality, Renaissance, Literature, Erasmus, Shakespeare, Holzwart

Ethical Statement

I report no conflict of interest or ethics issues with this article.

“Bir Köpeğin İntikamı”

Abstract

Bu makale, "bir köpeğin intikamı" atasözünün on altıncı ve on yedinci yüzyıl Latin, Alman ve İngiliz bağlamlarında sunulduğu üç medya yönteminin karşılaştırmalı bir çalışmasını sunmaktadır. Atasözü kısaca genel kullanımda olan kısa ve özlü sözler olarak tanımlanabilir. Ancak, dilbilimsel bir analizin ötesine geçip somut analize inildiğinde, pek çok insanın bildiği ve kullandığı bu özlü sözler aforizma, hüküm, özdeyiş, vecize ya da diğer kısa formlara benzer bir istikrarsızlığa bürünür. Bu makale, Erasmus'un Adages (1532), Mathius Holzwart'ın Emblematum Tyrocinia (1581) adlı amblem kitabı ve William Shakespeare'in on yedinci yüzyıl draması Cymbeline 'deki (1611) "Bir köpeğin intikamı" adlı kısa atasözünün unsurlarını karşılaştırarak, bu atasözünün söz eylemlerinin ötesindeki yaşayabilirliğini vurgulamaktadır. İster sözlü, ister grafik, resimsel, dramatik ya da başka bir mecra olsun, bir atasözünün somutluğuna odaklanmak, bir atasözünün yaşamının sadece konuşmada değil, çeşitli medya ve materyallerde atıfta bulunulmasıyla örüldüğünü gösterir. Atasözü ifadesinin gösterilen anlamı ile somut biçimi arasındaki gerilimi incelemek, atasözünün alternatif kullanımlar, unutulma veya kullanılmama yoluyla potansiyel yaşayamazlığını veya ölümünü de ortaya çıkarır.

Keywords

Atasözü, Somutluk, Rönesans, Edebiyat, Erasmus, Shakespeare, Holzwart

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