“when pigs fly” indeed appears in ben jonson’s 1616 play the devil is an ass
Did “When Pigs Fly” Appear in Ben Jonson’s 1616 Play “The Devil is an Ass”?
The phrase “when pigs fly” is a well-known idiom in the English language, used to describe something that is highly unlikely or impossible to happen. It’s synonymous with the expression “it will never happen.” Historically, this phrase didn’t come into widespread use until much later than the 17th century, and its origins are often debated or misunderstood.
Exploring “The Devil is an Ass”
“The Devil is an Ass” is a satirical play written by Ben Jonson and first performed in 1616. The play explores themes of vice and folly in Jacobean society. In examining Jonson’s work, including “The Devil is an Ass,” scholars note that Jonson was known for his vivid language and imaginative plays, but there isn’t a widely recognized instance of the idiom “when pigs fly” appearing verbatim in this particular play.
Given that idiomatic expressions can evolve over time and sometimes originate in contexts where they are not verbatim quotes, Jonson may have used similar themes or metaphors that involve impossibility or absurdity without using the exact phrasing of “when pigs fly.”
Check Historical Resources and Contexts
- Early Modern Literature: Researching early modern English literature databases can reveal whether any turn of phrase resembling “when pigs fly” did appear in Jonson’s texts, albeit with different wording or in context.
- Literary Analysis: An analysis of themes in Jonson’s plays can sometimes uncover phrases or sentiments that are akin to modern idioms despite not being direct linguistic sources.
Unfolding the Linguistic Timeline
- The idiomatic phrase exactly as we know it today is most often recorded in much later periods.
- Jonson might have inspired expressions of impossibility with a different metaphor or exaggeration typical of his time, leveraging humor or satire to convey similar sentiments.
Resources for Further Research
- Historical Dictionaries: Tools like the Oxford English Dictionary can provide insight into the earliest recorded uses of idioms and their evolution.
- Literary Archives: Delving into archives that hold records of early modern plays could yield insights into the origins of particular expressions.
In summary, while phrases suggesting impossibility similar to “when pigs fly” might conceptually appear in some form in Ben Jonson’s writings, the exact phrase is not verifiably documented in “The Devil is an Ass” or any widely recognized 1616 source. To verify, further reading of Jonson’s works or comprehensive literary analysis might be required to detect any thematic similarities or earlier linguistic forms.
If you are studying Jonson’s work or idiomatic origins and have access to academic libraries, examining editions of his plays with scholarly annotations might be particularly helpful.