Meaning & Analysis
This is a simile that directly compares a person's sexual behavior or desire to that of a goat, an animal stereotypically regarded as having a strong and indiscriminate libido.
Insights
Unrestrained Lust
The proverb is a metaphor for unrestrained and undisciplined sexual desire, characterizing a person who is driven by powerful carnal instincts without moral or social inhibition.
Animalistic Instinct
It metaphorically signifies a regression to base, animalistic behavior. The comparison strips the subject of human dignity, suggesting their actions are crude, wild, and outside the bounds of civilized conduct.
Moral Condemnation
The simile functions as a tool of harsh moral judgment. To be compared to a lecherous goat is to be condemned for behavior deemed excessive, socially unacceptable, and morally corrupt.
Historical and Mythological Symbolism
The goat has ancient symbolic ties to lust and fertility, famously embodied by the Greek satyr Pan. This association was later absorbed into Christian demonology, where the goat became a symbol for the devil and carnal sin, giving the proverb a deep-seated moral and cultural resonance.
Literary and Dramatic Context
Shakespeare's use of the simile in 'Othello' ('as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys') demonstrates its power as a cultural shorthand for extreme, animalistic lust, used to provoke intense emotional reactions and convey moral corruption.
Psychological Projection
The proverb reflects a psychological need to distance 'civilized' human society from its own base instincts. By projecting unrestrained sexuality onto an animal, it creates a clear moral boundary and reinforces social norms governing desire and behavior.
Rhetorical Devices
Simile
The proverb is a classic simile, using the structure 'as...as' to create a direct, vivid, and easily understood comparison between a human quality and an animal trait.
Animal Symbolism
The goat serves as a potent and historically charged symbol for lust, wildness, and sin. This allows the proverb to convey a complex set of cultural and moral ideas in a very concise phrase.
Hyperbole
The comparison is intentionally exaggerated to emphasize the extremity of the person's behavior, making it a powerful tool for condemnation or insult.
Transcription
Quotations
(a he-goat).
Shakespeare Citations
Wanton as youthful goats, wild as young bulls.
Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, As salt as wolves in pride.
Cross References
- See Pf., no. 211.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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