Meaning & Analysis
An individual or thing of such outstanding excellence or value that it is without equal or rival—a perfect or ideal example.
Insights
Unmatched Excellence
The proverb refers to something or someone as the very highest standard of quality or virtue, surpassing all competitors or comparisons.
Idealization
It also serves as a symbol of the ideal—what others might aspire to but cannot reach—elevating the subject to a near-mythic status in beauty, worth, or ability.
Renaissance and Literary Usage
The phrase gained popularity in Renaissance literature, notably in Spenser’s 'The Faerie Queene,' where a 'peerless paragon' signifies an unmatched and almost unattainable standard of excellence or beauty.
The Language of Superlative
The term 'paragon' comes from the Italian 'paragone,' meaning 'touchstone'—an object used to test the quality of precious metals. Thus, the phrase invokes both the metaphor of ultimate testing and the reality of rarity.
Elevation and Rarity
By calling something a 'paragon of price,' the speaker sets it apart not just for intrinsic excellence, but for its singularity—implying it is so valuable or virtuous as to be beyond ordinary measure.
Rhetorical Devices
Superlative Language
Words like 'peerless' and 'paragon' employ the language of superlatives, heightening the effect of praise and idealization.
Metaphor
The metaphorical use of 'paragon' as a touchstone for quality transforms the subject into a universal standard of comparison.
Alliteration
The repeated 'p' sounds in 'paragon of price' and 'peerless paragon' give the phrase a memorable, poetic rhythm.
Transcription
Quotations
Proud man himselfe the other deemed, Hauing so peerelesse paragon ygot.
A peerelesse paragon.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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