He loves laced MUTTON

Insights

Appetite for Prostitution

The proverb is a coarse euphemism for a man's fondness for prostitutes or sexually promiscuous women. 'Mutton' was common slang for female flesh, and 'laced' referred to the fancy attire, particularly the tightly-laced bodices or corsets, worn by courtesans.

Dehumanization and Consumption

The phrase dehumanizes women by equating them with meat to be purchased and consumed for male pleasure. It frames sexual encounters as a simple transaction of satisfying a carnal appetite, stripping the woman of her identity and agency.

Preference for Artifice

'Laced' implies adornment, artifice, and expense. The proverb can suggest a preference for the 'fancy' or decorated woman, one whose allure is based on superficial presentation and is available for a price, as opposed to a 'plain' or modest woman.

Historical Slang and Social Commentary

This proverb offers a clear window into the vulgar slang of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. The citations from Shakespeare, Dekker, and others demonstrate that 'mutton' was a widely understood, if coarse, term for a woman's body, reflecting a society where transactional sex was a common and openly discussed feature of urban life.

Objectification in Language

The proverb powerfully illustrates the 'woman-as-meat' trope, a linguistic device that objectifies and dehumanizes women by reducing them to consumable goods. This psychological distancing makes sexual exploitation more palatable and frames female sexuality in terms of male appetite and consumption.

Symbolism of Transgression

Shakespeare's use of the phrase 'eat mutton on Fridays' in 'Measure for Measure' adds a layer of transgression. Since Friday was a day of religious fasting from meat, the metaphor equates consorting with prostitutes to a forbidden, sinful act, highlighting the illicit nature of the desire.

Rhetorical Devices

Euphemistic Metaphor

The entire phrase is a sustained metaphor, functioning as a coarse euphemism for consorting with prostitutes. It uses the familiar language of food and dining to refer to sexual activity, allowing for a degree of coded communication.

Dysphemism

The proverb employs dysphemism by using a derogatory and objectifying term ('mutton') to refer to women. While it serves as a euphemism to avoid explicit language, its core imagery is intentionally degrading.

Double Entendre

The term 'laced' carries a double meaning (double entendre), referring literally to the lacing of a corset and figuratively to the 'adorned' or professional status of the woman, adding a layer of witty, coded meaning.