The second WIFE is best beloved

Insights

Learning from Experience

Symbolizes the value of experience in any significant endeavor. The 'first wife' represents an initial, often flawed, attempt, while the 'second' represents a more successful effort informed by past mistakes and matured self-knowledge.

Appreciation Through Contrast

The second relationship is valued more highly because it is appreciated in contrast to the first. Having a baseline for comparison allows for a clearer recognition and deeper cherishing of the second partner's positive qualities.

Companionship over Convention

It suggests that later-life partnerships are often built on a more stable foundation of companionship and mutual understanding, as opposed to the potentially naive or duty-bound nature of a first union.

Historical Marital Norms

The proverb reflects a historical context where a first marriage could be a practical or dynastic arrangement ('matrimony'), while a second, often later in life, might be chosen for genuine companionship and affection ('company'), as suggested by the cross-reference.

Psychology of Mature Love

This proverb challenges the romantic ideal of a singular, perfect 'first love' by suggesting that love deepens with maturity. It posits that the wisdom gained from a first relationship allows for a more profound and appreciated connection in a second.

Patriarchal Perspective

Framed from a male viewpoint, the proverb reflects a patriarchal bias, positioning the wives as sequential objects of affection rather than as individuals. It centers on the man's evolving capacity to love, assuming he is the constant in the equation.

Rhetorical Devices

Superlative Adjective

The use of the superlative 'best' makes a bold, definitive assertion, giving the proverb a memorable and authoritative quality.

Juxtaposition

The proverb's meaning is built on an implicit comparison between the first and second wife, creating a powerful juxtaposition that highlights the core message.

Generalization

It presents a specific observation about marriage as a universal truth, a common rhetorical strategy in proverbs that lends them an air of timeless wisdom.