English idiomatic expressions of literary etymology

Аннотация

В настоящей статье исследуются образные фразеологизмы английского языка, сформированные на базе художественной литературы. Теоретическая часть статьи подтверждается многочисленными примерами английских идиом, связанных с персонажами и сюжетами художественных произведений. Ключевые слова: фразеологическая единица, образ, художественный текст, литература, персонаж, сюжет. The study of proper names as part of phraseological units in works of art follows from the need for a deeper understanding of them. Phraseological units, reflecting in their semantics the long process of development of the culture of the English people, fix and transmit from generation to generation cultural attitudes and stereotypes. The linguistic picture of the world as a whole and in the main coincides with the logical reflection of the world in the minds of people, but at the same time separate sections in the linguistic picture of the world are preserved, to which phraseology also belongs; it has its own in each language. Every culture has its own words. To be considered a key dictionary of culture, a word must be commonly used, frequent, must be part of phraseological units [3, p. 84]. Practice has shown that proper names are an important source of information, on the skillful use of which the depth of penetration into the treasury of the studied language depends. English literature and oral folk art have significantly enriched the English language, bringing into it a lot of bright, expressive images that have entered everyday speech. Often, the names of characters in novels, plays, poems or fairy tales in their use approach the common names denoting certain traits of a person’s character or behavior. Such, for example, as irrepressible curiosity – peeping Tom – "too curious person". In the legend of Lady Godiva, the wife of the Earl of Mercia, it is told that the earl imposed an unbearable tax on the residents of Coventry. When Lady Godiva stood up for them, the earl said he would cancel the tax if Lady Godiva dared to drive naked through the whole city. In order not to embarrass her, all the residents closed the shutters of their houses. The only one who began to peek through the crack was the tailor Tom, who was immediately struck blind. Hence the meaning of this phraseology [1, p. 76]. Shakespeare’s plays were a rich source of English phraseology. In many phraseological units created by Shakespeare, or in quotations from his works, we find proper names, for example: "Hamlet" [W. Shakespeare, "Hamlet", 160, p. 189]: To out-Herod Herod – "surpass Herod himself in cruelty"; Hamlet with Hamlet left out – "Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark", i.e. something devoid of the very essence. "Merchant of Venice" [W. Shakespeare, "The Merchant of Venice", 1610, p. 254]: A Daniel come to judgment – "an honest, insightful judge." «Othello»: The green-eyed monster – jealousy. 164 Cordelia’s gift – "gentle female voice". In modern English, Shakespearean can be used with some changes. A large number of phraseological units created by Shakespeare came into general use, which testifies to Shakespeare’s linguistic genius and his enormous popularity. Besides Shakespeare, many other writers have enriched English phraseology. Among them, first of all, we should mention Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Charles Dickens and Walter Scott. Charles Dickens: an Artful Dodger – "a scoundrel, a rascal" (the nickname of the pickpocket John Dawkins in the novel "Oliver Twist"); Barkis is willing! – "'Barkis is not averse’, I really want to" (an expression from the novel "David Copperfield". The carrier Barkis repeatedly began with these words his marriage proposal to the maid Pegotti); King Charles's head – "an obsession, a subject of insanity, a "fad" (an expression from the novel "David Copperfield". Related to the infatuation of the half-witted Mr. Dick with Charles I); D. Defoe: man Friday – "faithful servant" (named after faithful servants in the novel "Robinson Crusoe"); [D. Defoe’s "Robinson Crusoe", 1719, p. 352]. JohnPool: Paul Pry – "man poking his nose into other people’s business, peeping Tom" [J. Poole. "Paul Pry", 1846, p. 374]. R. L. Stevenson: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", a man embodying two principles – good and evil (after the hero of the story "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"). [Stevenson R.L. "The Strange Story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", 1886, p. 216]. R. Kipling: the tail wags the dog – the subordinate commands the boss ("The Conundrum of the Workshops") Many phraseological units were not created by the writers themselves, but only thanks to the latter have become widespread in modern English. Often they reflect the history or tradition of a particular city or settlement. For example, the expression to fight like Kilkenny cats means "to fight to mutual destruction, not to the stomach, but to the death." Several soldiers from the 18th-century garrison in the city of Kilkenny