We're accustomed to decrying the culture of violence that pervades American life today (e.g. see Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine").
So it came as a bit of a shock to me to learn what a Punch and Judy show is really all about. From Michael Quinion's World Wide Words (May 1/04), shortened just a bit: Q. I am curious as to the origin of the phrase "as pleased as Punch". It has been suggested to me that it must come from the puppet in Punch and Judy <snip> A. Perhaps some cultural footnotes might be in order. Though Punch and Judy puppet shows are by no means unknown outside the UK, and the term "pleased as punch" is also common, the tradition of the entertainment of that name is mainly a British one, associated in most people's minds with childhood memories of sitting on the sand during summer holidays at the seaside, watching the antics of puppet Mr Punch in his candy-striped booth. Though no two shows are quite alike and the story has evolved a lot in the last four centuries, the traditional plot has Mr Punch kill his infant child, then beat his wife Judy to death. He is thrown in prison but escapes using a golden key. He then kills a policeman, a doctor, a lawyer, the hangman, death and the Devil. He murders everyone with huge pleasure, each time squeakily repeating his catchphrase, "That's the way to do it!" It's the enormous satisfaction of Punch with his awful deeds that led to the idiom "as pleased as Punch" appearing at the beginning of the nineteenth century for somebody who was delighted. Punch's pride in outwitting every figure of authority also led to "as proud as Punch" as an alternative <snip> -Michael Quinion Stephen ___________________________________________________ Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm _______________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
