Meaning & Analysis
Being honest and straightforward is the most desirable and effective approach in any situation.
Insights
Superiority of Honesty
Proclaims that candor and transparency surpass cunning or deceit, positioning plain dealing as the highest standard of conduct.
Practical Wisdom
Suggests that, despite any short-term gain from duplicity, long-term success and personal security are best secured through forthrightness.
Moral Consensus
The proverb reflects a longstanding ethical consensus, echoed in allied sayings like 'Honesty is the best policy,' advocating straightforwardness as a universally admired trait.
Literary Endorsement
Writers such as Jonson and Marston used the phrase to contrast the tricks and deceits of society with the simplicity and trustworthiness of those who value honest speech, reinforcing its appeal in both drama and daily life.
Psychological Simplicity
Plain dealing minimizes anxiety and complexity in relationships by reducing the need for subterfuge or constant self-monitoring, promoting peace of mind.
Rhetorical Devices
Superlative Construction
The use of 'best' establishes plain dealing as the ultimate standard, with forceful simplicity.
Ellipsis
The phrase omits specific comparisons, making its judgment absolute and universally applicable.
Parallellism
Its resemblance to similar aphorisms ('Honesty is the best policy') gives it mnemonic strength and rhetorical authority.
Transcription
Quotations
Plaine dealing is the best when all is done.
These tricks are for truls, a plaine wench loues plaine dealing.
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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