Meaning & Analysis
A man's treatment of his wife or mistress can determine her fidelity. If he treats her as a beautiful, decorative object (a 'goldfinch'), either by spoiling her or by failing to, he may discover she has become promiscuous (a 'wagtail'), a term for an unchaste woman.
Insights
Objectification and its Consequences
The act of treating a partner as a mere ornament or possession ('a goldfinch') can backfire. By focusing on superficial adornment, a man may foster a shallow connection, prompting his partner to seek genuine excitement or agency elsewhere, thus leading to infidelity.
The Perils of Extremes
The proverb presents a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' scenario. Whether a man showers his partner with material goods or withholds them, the outcome can be the same. This suggests that a partner's loyalty cannot be simply bought or neglected into existence, pointing to the futility of trying to control another's desires through such simplistic means.
Appearance vs. Reality
The transformation from a 'goldfinch' to a 'wagtail' symbolizes the tension between a controlled, idealized appearance and a hidden, uncontrolled reality. It serves as a warning that the external presentation of a relationship does not guarantee its internal stability or faithfulness.
Elizabethan Gender Dynamics
The proverb reflects deep-seated Elizabethan anxieties about female fidelity and the perceived transactional nature of relationships. A woman's loyalty is presented not as a matter of her own character, but as a direct consequence of her male partner's financial and emotional investment, revealing a patriarchal worldview where female behavior is something to be managed.
Symbolism of Birds
The proverb's power lies in its use of avian symbolism. The 'goldfinch', a beautiful and prized songbird, represents an idealized, ornamental partner. In stark contrast, the 'wagtail', a common bird known for its constant tail-bobbing, serves as a crude pun for a promiscuous woman, playing on the Elizabethan slang term for a prostitute.
Psychological Paradox of Control
The proverb presents a psychological paradox for men: both excessive pampering ('making her a goldfinch') and neglect ('making her not a goldfinch') are framed as potential paths to being cuckolded. This highlights a profound anxiety over female agency and the inability to secure loyalty through purely external means.
Economic Undercurrents
Underlying the proverb is an economic tension. 'Making a goldfinch' implies significant financial expenditure to adorn a partner. The potential outcome—'finding her a wagtail'—represents a failed investment, where material generosity does not guarantee sexual fidelity.
Rhetorical Devices
Symbolism
The proverb is built on the symbolic contrast between the 'goldfinch' (a prized, beautiful pet) and the 'wagtail' (a common, sexually suggestive figure), effectively representing the perceived shift from treasured partner to unfaithful woman.
Wordplay / Pun
The term 'wagtail' is a clever pun, leveraging the bird's characteristic bobbing tail as a sexual innuendo for promiscuity. This wordplay makes the proverb's warning both memorable and biting.
Antithesis
A sharp antithesis is drawn between the two birds, representing idealized beauty on one hand and unchaste behavior on the other. This stark contrast powerfully illustrates the potential for a relationship's downfall.
Irony
Situational irony is present in the idea that the very act of lavishing gifts upon a partner to secure her affection and loyalty could be the precise action that drives her to infidelity.
Transcription
Quotations
If therefore thou make not thy mistres a goldfinch, thou mayst chance to find her a wagtaile.
Hee that makes not his Mistress a Goldfinch, may perhaps in time finde her a Wagtayle.
But who a gold-finch faine would make his wife, Makes her (perhaps) a wag-taile all her life.
If you make your Wife a Gold-finch, she may prove in time a Wag-tail.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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