Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in…
“Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the sea, puffed up with winds, Rage like an angry boar chafed with sweat? Have I not heard great ordinance in the field, And Heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? And do you tell me of a woman's tongue, That gives not half so great a blow to hear As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire? Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs. Grumio: For he fears none.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker boasts of having heard nature’s fiercest sounds, dismissing a woman’s speech as insignificant compared to these grand, violent noises.
In simple terms: Nature’s roar dwarfs a woman's voice.
Key Takeaway
Masculine bravado devalues feminine expression.
Themes
gender
nature imagery
pride
language hierarchy
Mood
defiant
boastful
Type
dramatic
poetic
When to use this quote
- Literary analysis
- Gender studies
- Rhetorical critique
Key Concepts
patriarchal bias
Practical Applications
- Challenge gendered metaphors
- Elevate diverse voices
Questions to Reflect On
- Why equate loudness with power?
- How does language reflect gender bias?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor relies on a false equivalence between natural forces and human speech.