Who may woo but¹ COST?

Insights

Achievement and Sacrifice

Broadens the idea of 'wooing' to any significant pursuit, suggesting that all great accomplishments require a substantial investment of effort, time, or resources. As the 1721 annotation notes, 'no great matter can be easily attain'd.'

The Inevitability of Price

Posits a universal law that anything desirable has an associated cost. It asserts that value is inextricably linked to the price one must pay to obtain it, whether that price is material, emotional, or otherwise.

Investment for Reward

Frames any effort to gain something of value as an investment. The 'cost' is the necessary capital required to enter the venture, and the proverb implies that no reward can be expected without this initial, unavoidable outlay.

Historical Economics of Courtship

Reflects the historical reality, particularly from the 16th to 18th centuries, where courtship and marriage negotiations involved tangible costs like dowries, gifts, and social expenditures, making the proverb a literal truth for its time.

Psychological Justification of Effort

Touches on the psychological principle of effort justification, where the value of an outcome is perceived as greater due to the 'cost' invested. The proverb implies that this cost is not just a barrier but a fundamental part of what makes the prize worthwhile.

Universal Economic Principle

Functions as a folk expression of the economic concept of opportunity cost. It reminds us that every choice to pursue something of value ('woo') inherently involves forgoing other opportunities, which constitutes its true 'cost'.

Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical Question

Phrased as a question to which the answer ('No one') is self-evident, this device engages the audience and compels agreement with its underlying premise.

Aphoristic Brevity

Its extreme conciseness makes the statement impactful and memorable, distilling a complex universal truth into four simple words.

Archaism

The use of the archaic term 'woo' and the now-uncommon meaning of 'but' as 'without' lends the proverb a sense of timeless, traditional authority.