Meaning & Analysis
To physically aggravate a wound that has begun to heal or has already scarred over, causing renewed pain, bleeding, and preventing recovery.
Insights
Rekindling Past Conflicts
To revive past grievances, arguments, or conflicts that had been resolved or forgotten, thereby causing fresh emotional pain and disrupting peace.
Inflicting Emotional Harm
To deliberately bring up a sensitive topic or past trauma, causing emotional distress to another person and reopening psychological wounds that were starting to heal.
Hindering Reconciliation
Describes the counterproductive act of dwelling on past mistakes or hurts, which prevents personal growth, forgiveness, and the ability to move forward.
Historical Medical Symbolism
Drawing from the visceral, pre-modern medical reality where reopening a wound could lead to fatal infection, the proverb’s imagery carries a potent historical weight. Its classical origin, cited by Erasmus, underscores a long-standing recognition in Western thought that revisiting old traumas is not just painful but perilous.
Psychological Insight
This proverb powerfully illustrates the psychological concept of rumination—the act of dwelling on past grievances, which prevents emotional healing. Shakespeare’s use in 'The Tempest' ('You rub the sore When you should bring the plaster') perfectly captures this, contrasting a destructive act with a constructive, healing one.
Conflict Resolution Wisdom
The proverb serves as a timeless warning in conflict resolution and diplomacy. It cautions that true peace requires moving forward, implying that using past wrongs as leverage in present negotiations can unravel fragile truces and prevent genuine reconciliation.
Rhetorical Devices
Metaphor
The proverb is built on a powerful metaphor, equating abstract concepts like past grievances and emotional trauma with a tangible, physical 'sore', making the pain and danger immediately understandable.
Violent Imagery
The verbs 'rip up' and 'rub' create strong kinesthetic and violent imagery. 'Rip' suggests a sudden, brutal act, while 'rub' implies a persistent, irritating agitation, enhancing the proverb's cautionary tone.
Transcription
Quotations
Refricare cicatricem.
Refricare cicatricem, to rubbe or make sore that, which was almoste whole, spoken prouerbyally, of renewynge and styrrynge vp agayne, a daungerous matter.
Besides sutch ripping up of ould matters . . as I suppose there have sildum been seen the like.
The rubbing of the scar, will open a fresh wound.
Alas, doe not rub those wounds, master Trvewit, to bloud againe.
Doe not rippe vp old soares.
Rip not up old sores.
To exasperate any business, and make it worse than it was; the English say, To rip up old sores.
[As in 1639 Cl.]
What occasion had you to rip up th' old sore?
(old Sores, and Cast up old Sores).
Shakespeare Citations
Well, I am loath to gall a new-heal'd wound.
The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness, And time to speak it in. You rub the sore When you should bring the plaster.
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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