Comments on: Not All Epithets are Insults

By: Scott Rooks

Scott Rooks — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:45:38 +0000

Very interesting and focused post. I never have given epithets so much thought nor have I been given so much material for such a short and small subject.

This is a wonderfully stirring subject and post.

By: PreciseEdit

PreciseEdit — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:27:13 +0000

A couple of examples that I enjoy:

“Children, I grant, should be innocent; but when the epithet is applied to men, or women, it is but a civil term for weakness.” –Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (This also demonstrates how epithets can be insulting or complimentary.)

“Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot. He was not afraid to die, oh brave Sir Robin. He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways, brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin.” –Monty Python and the Holy Grail

By: Clayton

Clayton — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:12:13 +0000

The epithets that you attribute to Handel were not his. Those are from the Bible as is the comlete text of “The Messiah.”