Meaning & Analysis
The Devil, as the embodiment of evil, consistently shows favor and provides benefits to his followers or those who belong to his party.
Insights
Prosperity of the Wicked
The proverb is a cynical observation that wicked, corrupt, or undeserving people often seem to succeed and prosper, as if they are being rewarded by a malevolent force for their behavior.
In-Group Favoritism
It suggests that even malevolent or corrupt systems have their own internal logic of loyalty and reward. A leader, no matter how evil, secures allegiance by taking care of their followers.
Rationalizing Others' Success
The saying can be used to express envy or resentment towards the success of others. By attributing their good fortune to the Devil, the speaker diminishes their rivals' achievements and implies they were gained through unfair or immoral means.
Psychological and Theological Explanation
The proverb reflects a folk-theological explanation for the prosperity of the wicked, a common paradox in religious worldviews. It serves as a psychological coping mechanism, allowing people to rationalize the success of those they deem undeserving by attributing it to malevolent supernatural aid rather than merit.
Critique of Cronyism
This saying is a powerful piece of social commentary on cronyism and corruption. It suggests that success is often due to membership in a closed, self-serving group ('the Devil's own') that rewards loyalty, rather than individual talent or virtue.
Literary and Mythological Resonance
The concept of a transactional relationship with a malevolent figure is a classic trope, most famously embodied in the Faust legend. The proverb taps into this deep cultural narrative where power and prosperity are gained through a pact with evil, reinforcing the idea that great success can have sinister origins.
Rhetorical Devices
Irony
The proverb employs stark irony by associating 'kindness', a positive human virtue, with the Devil, the ultimate symbol of evil. This contrast highlights the perverse and self-serving nature of the 'kindness' being offered.
Anthropomorphism
The Devil, an abstract representation of evil, is given the human capacity for kindness and loyalty, making the concept more tangible and creating a powerful, memorable image of a transactional evil.
Symbolic Diction
The phrase 'his own' is a potent and slightly ambiguous term. It creates a sense of a sinister, exclusive club or family, bound by allegiance to a corrupt leader, which enhances the proverb's cautionary and cynical tone.
Transcription
Quotations
You were worse then the deuil els, —for they say hee helps his seruants.
The Dee’ls ay good to his own.
The fondest father in the world. —Ay, madam, that’s true; for they say, the devil is kind to his own.
Cross References
Annotations
- Spoken when they whom we affect not, thrive and prosper in the World; as if they had their Prosperity from the Devil.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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