Meaning & Analysis
On Saint Matthew's Day, September 21st, a beekeeper should close up the beehive for the winter. This marks the end of the foraging season for bees, and the hive must be secured to protect the colony and its honey stores from the cold and predators.
Insights
Timeliness and Preparation
The proverb serves as a metaphor for the importance of timely preparation. It advises that one must recognize the signs of a changing season or ending cycle and take appropriate action to prepare for a coming period of hardship or inactivity.
End of a Cycle
It symbolizes the natural conclusion of a productive phase. Just as summer's growth ends, so do periods of opportunity or high activity in life. The proverb advises recognizing this transition and shifting focus from production to conservation.
Prudence and Conservation
The act of securing the hive is one of prudence and resource management. Metaphorically, it is a reminder to safeguard the fruits of one's labor (wealth, knowledge, energy) in prosperous times to ensure survival during leaner periods.
Agricultural Calendar
This proverb is a piece of practical agricultural wisdom tied to the liturgical calendar. Saints' days, like St. Matthew's Day (September 21), provided a reliable framework for seasonal tasks in pre-industrial society, intertwining religious observance with the rhythms of nature and farming.
Symbolism of Industry
The bee is a powerful symbol of industry, diligence, and community. The act of 'shutting up the bee' is therefore not just a practical chore but a symbolic conclusion to a period of productive labor, signaling a necessary transition from activity to rest and conservation.
Psychology of Seasonality
The proverb reflects a psychological shift dictated by the seasons. It marks the end of the expansive, outward-focused energy of summer and the beginning of an inward, conservative mindset required to endure the scarcity and cold of the coming winter.
Rhetorical Devices
Imperative Mood
The proverb is structured as a direct, authoritative piece of advice, using the imperative mood ('shut up') to convey its urgency and importance.
Synecdoche
The use of 'the bee' serves as synecdoche, where a single bee represents the entire colony and the practice of beekeeping, simplifying a complex activity into a memorable phrase.
Cultural Reference
The proverb uses a specific cultural and religious date (St. Matthew's Day) as a temporal anchor, making the advice precise and actionable for its intended audience.
Transcription
Quotations
S. Matthee shut up the Bee.
(At St. Matthee).
Annotations
- Sept. 21
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.