Up the Primrose Path
Do you ever wonder where certain phrases and quotations originate? I was taking some photos of the primroses in the garden and the old saw 'Up the primrose path' came to mind.
So I 'Googled' it and up pops Ophelia in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet.
'But good my brother
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whilst like a puff'd and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,
And recks not his own read.'
To be 'Up the primrose path' means you are leading a life of leisure. I often get it confused with 'being lead up the garden path', which sounds like a lovely thing to do, but it means you are being led astray!
So many common phrases we use every day are from Shakespeare. We don't even realise we are quoting him. I don't think he mentioned being led up the garden path.
But if the garden path is lined with primroses it can't be such a bad thing!
So I 'Googled' it and up pops Ophelia in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet.
'But good my brother
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whilst like a puff'd and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,
And recks not his own read.'
To be 'Up the primrose path' means you are leading a life of leisure. I often get it confused with 'being lead up the garden path', which sounds like a lovely thing to do, but it means you are being led astray!
So many common phrases we use every day are from Shakespeare. We don't even realise we are quoting him. I don't think he mentioned being led up the garden path.
But if the garden path is lined with primroses it can't be such a bad thing!
I neither think it's a bad thing to be led up the garden path. Perhaps it let you see the secret things, you wouldn't have seen otherwise. It gives me a positiv feeling, too, to be let up the garden path... :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Sometimes taking 'the path less trodden' is the best way to go. I have always been easily led astray, fortunately, I can always find my way back. ; )
DeleteBeing led up a garden path that is lined with primroses would certainly make the experience more pleasurable (especially after the spring we have had!). Have a great weekend. Chel x
ReplyDeleteThanks Chel! : ) I think Spring may have actually sprung, at last!
DeleteI have a garden full of primroses at present - it's very sheltered so they have been blooming for week, but now the daffs and a few tulips and forget me nots have caught them up and I couldn't be happier!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful having a bit of colour in the garden again. It's been a very long time coming!
DeleteBeing led up the garden path could result in a wild goose chase (Romeo and Juliet I believe!)
ReplyDeleteThis is the short and the long of it, we can't help but quote Shakespeare! ; )
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