The REVEALING of griefs is a renewing of sorrow

Insights

Grief as a Wound

The proverb suggests that painful memories, when left undisturbed, can fade. However, verbalizing them reopens emotional wounds, forcing a person to relive the original trauma and hindering the natural healing process.

The Burden of Expression

It frames emotional expression as a difficult and painful labor. Sharing one's sorrow is not presented as a relief but as a heavy 'task' that re-inflicts the very pain one is trying to move past, as emphasized in Shakespeare's 'Err'.

A Caution Against Dwelling on Pain

The proverb can be seen as a form of social advice encouraging emotional restraint. It implies that dwelling on sadness is unproductive and that maintaining a stoic silence is preferable to the pain of recounting one's woes.

Historical Psychology of Grief

This proverb captures a pre-Freudian psychological perspective, viewing the expression of grief not as cathartic but as re-traumatizing. It reflects a cultural emphasis on emotional stoicism, prevalent in Renaissance literature, where recounting tragedy is often framed as a painful, burdensome task.

Literary and Dramatic Trope

The proverb's sentiment is a recurring motif in Elizabethan literature, as seen in quotations from Lyly, Spenser, and Shakespeare. It serves as a dramatic device to explain a character's reluctance to speak of their past, thereby emphasizing the depth of their silent suffering.

Contradictory Folk Wisdom

The proverb directly contrasts with another, 'The remembrance of past sorrow is joyful' (R73). This highlights the situational nature of proverbial wisdom, acknowledging that while revisiting grief can be painful, reflecting on survived hardships from a later, safer perspective can also be empowering.

The Peril of Premature Catharsis

While seemingly at odds with modern therapeutic practices, the proverb identifies a genuine psychological risk. For individuals dealing with acute grief or trauma, prematurely recounting painful events can lead to re-traumatization rather than healing, underscoring the need for emotional readiness.

Rhetorical Devices

Parallelism

The parallel structure of 'revealing of griefs' and 'renewing of sorrow' creates a memorable and rhythmic link between action and consequence, reinforcing the proverb's message.

Metaphor

The phrase 'renewing of sorrow' metaphorically frames sorrow as something that can be brought back to its original, potent state, like renewing a contract or a subscription, effectively conveying the idea of reliving pain.

Abstract Diction

The use of formal, abstract nouns like 'griefs' and 'sorrow' lends the proverb a universal, philosophical weight, presenting it as a timeless observation on the human condition rather than a specific piece of advice.