Meaning & Analysis
Dark, stormy clouds will eventually pass, leading to clear and calm weather.
Insights
Hope after Hardship
The proverb symbolizes hope and resilience, suggesting that periods of difficulty, sadness, or turmoil ('black clouds') are temporary and will inevitably be followed by times of peace, happiness, and good fortune ('clear weather').
The Cyclical Nature of Fortune
It reflects the cyclical nature of life and fortune. Just as weather patterns change, human experiences of sorrow and joy are transient, with periods of adversity naturally giving way to periods of prosperity and calm.
Clarity after Confusion
'Black clouds' can represent confusion, conflict, or obscurity, while 'clear weather' symbolizes resolution, clarity, and truth. The proverb suggests that difficult problems or misunderstandings will eventually be resolved.
Natural World as Metaphor
The proverb's power lies in its universal meteorological imagery. In societies dependent on agriculture and predictable weather, the transition from storm to calm was a potent symbol of hope and renewal, making the natural world a direct model for the cyclical nature of human fortune.
Psychology of Hope
This proverb encapsulates a fundamental psychological coping mechanism: cognitive reframing. By framing adversity ('black clouds') as a temporary and necessary prelude to relief ('clear weather'), it fosters resilience and an optimistic outlook, helping individuals endure periods of hardship.
Literary and Narrative Resonance
As seen in Shakespeare and other literary works, the clearing of clouds is a common literary trope for the resolution of conflict or the revealing of truth. The proverb reflects a deep-seated narrative structure where turmoil gives way to clarity and a happy ending.
Rhetorical Devices
Symbolism
The proverb is built on the powerful symbolism of 'black clouds' representing adversity and 'clear weather' representing hope and relief, using a universal natural phenomenon to explain human experience.
Antithesis
The stark juxtaposition of 'black clouds' and 'clear weather' creates a memorable and impactful contrast, emphasizing the transformative shift from a negative state to a positive one.
Temporal Structuring
The use of 'After' creates a temporal sequence that gives the proverb a reassuring, predictive quality, framing hope not as a possibility but as a certainty that follows hardship.
Transcription
Quotations
After clouds blacke, we shall haue wether clere.
After stormy clowdes cumth wether clere.
After clouds blacke, we shall haue wether cleere.
After skies lower we shall haue faire weather.
After that the skie lowreth, wee shall haue faire weather.
(faire weather).
(After clouds comes).
(After Clouds).
Shakespeare Citations
But to the brightest beams Distracted clouds give way.
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.