Meaning & Analysis
Based on a series of puns, the proverb literally advises that a man who marries a shrewish woman (from 'Shrewsbury') must beat her with a staff (take her to 'Staffordshire'); otherwise, he will live a life of misery and trouble (in 'Cumberland').
Insights
Consequences of Marital Choice
The proverb serves as a grim cautionary tale about the perceived dangers of marrying a strong-willed woman. It suggests that such a choice leads to an inevitable ultimatum: either assert dominance through force or resign oneself to a life of perpetual unhappiness and burden.
A Journey of Marital Strife
The journey through the counties metaphorically represents a husband's struggle to manage a difficult marriage. 'Shrewsbury' is the source of the problem (the shrew), 'Staffordshire' symbolizes the act of violent suppression, and 'Cumberland' represents the state of being encumbered and defeated by the relationship.
Domestic Conflict as Power Struggle
The proverb frames domestic life as a battle for control. The options of 'Staffordshire' or 'Cumberland' imply that in a marriage with a 'shrew', peace can only be achieved through the husband's violent subjugation of his wife, reinforcing a worldview where marital harmony is equated with female submission.
Patriarchal Control and Misogyny
This proverb is a stark piece of social commentary on early modern gender roles, reflecting a patriarchal anxiety about assertive or 'shrewish' women. It presents domestic violence (the 'staff') as a legitimate tool for enforcing a husband's authority, framing it as a necessary response to a wife's defiance. The sentiment is famously mirrored in literature, most notably Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew'.
Geographical Wordplay
The proverb's cleverness relies entirely on a series of puns using English county names, a popular form of wit. This linguistic playfulness masks a grim social message, making a recommendation of domestic abuse memorable and almost humorous. The cross-referenced proverb (W699) demonstrates that this 'map-based' wordplay was a recurring device for social commentary.
Psychology of Dominance
Psychologically, the proverb reveals a cultural fear of female agency. A woman's assertiveness is pathologized as 'shrewishness', a condition that must be either violently 'cured' or miserably 'endured'. It offers no possibility of mutual respect or compromise, reducing the marital relationship to a simple, brutal calculus of power and submission.
Rhetorical Devices
Pun (Paronomasia)
The proverb's entire meaning is built upon a series of puns: Shrewsbury for 'shrew', Staffordshire for 'staff' (a stick for beating), and Cumberland for 'cumber' (to be burdened or troubled).
Geographical Metaphor
The proverb uses English counties as metaphors for marital conditions: the challenge (a shrew), the solution (violence), and the consequence of inaction (a burdensome life).
Didactic Tone
The proverb adopts a prescriptive and cautionary tone, presenting its grim advice as a practical maxim for navigating the perceived perils of marriage to a non-submissive woman.
Transcription
Quotations
*The Staple-wit of this vulgar Proverb, consisting solely in similitude of sound, is scarce worth the inserting.
(or else he shall).
He that takes a Wife at Shrewsbury, must carry her to Staffordshire, else she'll drive him to Cumberland.
Cross References
Annotations
- play on “shrew”
- play on “staff” (a beating)
- play on “cumber” (care)
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.