the world and its mistress

[Marius Hancu]

Hello:

Does
"the world and its mistress"
mean
"everybody [and his mother]?"

----------
On Sunday morning while church bells rang in the villages alongshore,
the world and its mistress returned to Gatsby's house and twinkled
hilariously on his lawn.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
http://www.toeflplus.net/ebook_singles/00380804.html
---------

Thank you.
Marius Hancu

[Salvatore Volatile]

Post by Marius Hancu
Does
"the world and its mistress"
mean
"everybody [and his mother]?"
----------
On Sunday morning while church bells rang in the villages alongshore,
the world and its mistress returned to Gatsby's house and twinkled
hilariously on his lawn.

For me the standard phrase is "everybody and his brother", but yes.

[c***@yahoo.com]

Post by Salvatore Volatile

Post by Marius Hancu
Does
"the world and its mistress"
mean
"everybody [and his mother]?"
----------
On Sunday morning while church bells rang in the villages alongshore,
the world and its mistress returned to Gatsby's house and twinkled
hilariously on his lawn.

For me the standard phrase is "everybody and his brother", but yes.
--
Salvatore Volatile
ref at freeshell dot org

I think "the world" is intended for "those who are important in the
world, everybody who is anybody." Probably the rich party people,
those who were known about 20 years ago as "the Jet-Set" and are now
called "the Glitterati." Of course, in Fitzgerald's time, everyone who
was important was a man; "and its mistress" says that these men were
partying with women who were not their wives, women from a lower class,
playing immoral games while the stalwart, salt-of-the-earth, moral
villagers were going to church. It's commentary by the author.

The standard phrase is "everybody and his brother."

Cece

[j***@yahoo.com]

Post by c***@yahoo.com

Post by Salvatore Volatile

Post by Marius Hancu
Does
"the world and its mistress"
mean
"everybody [and his mother]?"
----------
On Sunday morning while church bells rang in the villages alongshore,
the world and its mistress returned to Gatsby's house and twinkled
hilariously on his lawn.

For me the standard phrase is "everybody and his brother", but yes.
--
Salvatore Volatile
ref at freeshell dot org

I think "the world" is intended for "those who are important in the
world, everybody who is anybody." Probably the rich party people,
those who were known about 20 years ago as "the Jet-Set"

30 or 40, right?

Post by c***@yahoo.com
and are now
called "the Glitterati." Of course, in Fitzgerald's time, everyone who
was important was a man; "and its mistress" says that these men were
partying with women who were not their wives, women from a lower class,

I think a mistress then could have been a "kept woman", probably from a
lower class, but it could have been any female lover of a man (other
than his wife). I would guess that the men's girlfriends from their
own class would have been more in evidence at the Gatsby mansion than
their grisettes.

Post by c***@yahoo.com
playing immoral games while the stalwart, salt-of-the-earth, moral
villagers were going to church. It's commentary by the author.
The standard phrase is "everybody and his brother."

Otherwise I agree.

[PR]

Post by j***@yahoo.com

Post by c***@yahoo.com

Post by Marius Hancu
Does
"the world and its mistress"
mean
"everybody [and his mother]?"

I think "the world" is intended for "those who are important in the
world, everybody who is anybody." Probably the rich party people,
those who were known about 20 years ago as "the Jet-Set"

30 or 40, right?
I think a mistress then could have been a "kept woman", probably from a
lower class, but it could have been any female lover of a man (other
than his wife). I would guess that the men's girlfriends from their
own class would have been more in evidence at the Gatsby mansion than
their grisettes.

The world aside, I know that the moon's a harsh mistress.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's hard to love her well.

[John Dean]

Post by c***@yahoo.com

Post by Salvatore Volatile

Post by Marius Hancu
Does
"the world and its mistress"
mean
"everybody [and his mother]?"
----------
On Sunday morning while church bells rang in the villages
alongshore, the world and its mistress returned to Gatsby's house
and twinkled hilariously on his lawn.

For me the standard phrase is "everybody and his brother", but yes.
--

I think "the world" is intended for "those who are important in the
world, everybody who is anybody." Probably the rich party people,
those who were known about 20 years ago as "the Jet-Set" and are now
called "the Glitterati." Of course, in Fitzgerald's time, everyone
who was important was a man; "and its mistress" says that these men
were partying with women who were not their wives, women from a lower
class, playing immoral games while the stalwart, salt-of-the-earth,
moral villagers were going to church. It's commentary by the author.
The standard phrase is "everybody and his brother."

The standard phrase I know is "The world and his wife" which makes the
mistress reference more pointed. To give some of the better known OED
cites :

1731-8 Swift Pol. Conversat. iii. 192 Miss. Pray, Madam, who were the
Company? Lady Smart. Why, there was all the World, and his Wife. 1822
Byron Let. to Sir W. Scott, 'All the world and his wife', as the proverb
goes, were trying to trample upon me. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. xvii,
All the world and his wife and daughter leave cards.

[Marius Hancu]

Post by John Dean
The standard phrase I know is "The world and his wife" which makes the
mistress reference more pointed. To give some of the better known OED
1731-8 Swift Pol. Conversat. iii. 192 Miss. Pray, Madam, who were the
Company? Lady Smart. Why, there was all the World, and his Wife. 1822
Byron Let. to Sir W. Scott, 'All the world and his wife', as the proverb
goes, were trying to trample upon me. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. xvii,
All the world and his wife and daughter leave cards.

Interesting. "Wife," I didn't know.

Thank you all.
Marius Hancu