'Eat, Drink And Be Merry': Meaning & Context Of Phrase✔️

Eat, drink and be merry” is a much-used English idiom, popular particularly among young people. It suggests the carefree attitude of young people intent on ... ‘Eat,DrinkandBeMerry’,Meaning&ContextYouarehere:Home1/ShakespeareQuotes2/FamousShakespeareQuotes3/‘Eat,DrinkandBeMerry’,Meaning&Context“Eat,drinkandbemerry”isamuch-usedEnglishidiom,popularparticularlyamongyoungpeople.Itsuggeststhecarefreeattitudeofyoungpeopleintentonanenjoyablelife,wheretheyencourageeachothertoeatup,drinkupandgivenothoughttothefuture,becauselifeisshort. Does“eat,drinkandbemerry”comefromShakespeare? “Eatdrinkandbemerry”isnotaphrasethatShakespeareusedinhisplays, althoughhehadplentytosayabouteatinganddrinking,oratleasthischaractersdid. His playsarefullofcharacterswhoamongthemadopteverykindofphilosophyimaginable,andsome,likeFalstaff,andSirTobyBelch,practiceEpicureanism,also knownashedonism,withoutnecessarilyknowingthatitispartofthephilosophyofaGreekphilosopher,althoughbothareeducatedmenandprobablydoknowthat. Eat,drinkandbemerry–a16thcenturyfeast Wheredoesthesaying“eat,drink,andbemerry”originate? TheGreekphilosopherEpicuruspromotedthephilosophyoflivinglifetoitsfullestextent.Inhisphilosophy,thepathtotruehappinesslayinthepursuitofpleasure.TheEnglishidiom“eat,drinkandbemerry,fortomorrowwemaydie.”isoftenascribedtoEpicurus.Buthewasasignificantphilosopher,withotherthingstosay,andhiscommentsoneatinganddrinkingmeantnothingmoreexcitingthanthatthosethingswoulddonoharm. AlthoughEpicurusintroducedtheideaofeating,drinking,andbeing merrry intohisphilosophicalwritings,theactualwordingappears,assomanyotheridiomsdo,iftheyarenotShakespearean,intheBible. “Eatdrinkandbemerry”intheBible Theclosestinwordingto“eat,drink,andbemerry,fortomorrowwemaydie”comesfrom 1Corinthians15:32: “WhatdoIgainif,humanlyspeaking,IfoughtwithbeastsatEphesus?Ifthedeadarenotraised, Let useatanddrink,fortomorrowwedie.” OrperhapsthisonefromIsaiah22:33: “Andbehold,joyandgladness,killingoxenandslaughteringsheep,eatingfleshanddrinkingwine.“Letuseatanddrink,fortomorrowwedie.” ThegreatestpoetoftheOldTestament,Ecclesiastes,putsitlikethis: “SoIcommendtheenjoymentoflife,becausethereisnothingbetterforapersonunderthesunthantoeatanddrinkandbeglad.ThenjoywillaccompanythemintheirtoilallthedaysofthelifeGodhasgiventhemunderthesun.” ThephraseappearsinthatwayintheNewTestamentaswell. InLuke12:19 LukeputsitintoJesus’mouth.Jesussaysinaparable“andIwillsaytomysoul,Soul,thouhasmuchgoodslaidupformanyyears;Takethine ease, eat,drink,andbemerry.” itisdoubtfulthough,thatJesusintendeditin the waythatEpicureansinterpretit. WhatdoShakespeare’scharactershavetosayabouteatinganddrinking? OneofthemanythingsthatmadeShakespeare’saudienceslovegoingtothetheatretoseehisplayswasthattheywerefullofordinarypeopledoingtheordinarythingsthattheydid–working,watchingsport,socialising–andeatinganddrinkingwasanimportantpartofthatlife.Drinking,inparticular,wasverypopular,andwithalifeexpectancyofaboutthirty-twoformen,theendoftheirtimewasoftenhastenedduetoalcohol,whichhasalwaysbeen,andstillis,attheverycentreofEnglishculture. HerearesomeofthereferencestodrinkinginShakespeare’splays. Amancannotmakehimlaugh–butthat’snomarvel;hedrinksnowine. HenryIVPart2:Act2,Scene4 Iprayyou,donotfallinlovewithme,ForIamfalserthanvowsmadeinwine. AsYouLikeIt:Act3,Scene5 Why,sir,formypartIsaythegentlemanhaddrunkhimselfoutofhisfivesenses. TheMerryWivesofWindsor:Act1,Scene1 Letmyliverratherheatwithwine Thanmyheartcoolwithmortifyinggroans TheMerchantofVenice:Act1,Scene1 Drinksir,isagreatprovokerofthreethings….nose-painting,sleepandurine.Lechery,sir,itprovokes,andunprovokes;itprovokesthedesirebuttakesawaytheperformance. Macbeth:Act2,Scene3 Doyouthinkbecauseyouarevirtuous,thatthereshallbenomorecakesandale? TwelfthNight:Act2,Scene3 Goodwineisagoodfamiliarcreature,ifitbewellused. Othello:Act2,Scene3 Iwouldgiveallmyfameforapotofale. HenryV:Act3,Scene2 Total9Facebook0Twitter2WhatsApp2Pinterest0Email2Print0 1 reply Ican’tthinkofabetterwaytodealwithuncontrollableaspectsoflivingthantoindulgeinthosethingswhichmakeyouhappy——andthentobeunabletorememberitall! Reply LeaveaReplyWanttojointhediscussion?Feelfreetocontribute! LeaveaReplyCancelreplyYouremailaddresswillnotbepublished.Requiredfieldsaremarked*Name* Email* Website Savemyname,email,andwebsiteinthisbrowserforthenexttimeIcomment. Comment* Δ FamousShakespeareQuotes ‘ALaughingStock’,Meaning&Context ‘APlagueOnBothYourHouses’,Meaning&Context ‘APoundofFlesh’,Meaning&Context ‘ARoseByAnyOtherName’,Meaning&Context ‘AllOfASudden’,Meaning&Context ‘AppleOfMyEye’,Meaning&Context ‘AsDeadAsADoornail’,Meaning&Context ‘AsLuckWouldHaveIt’,Meaning&Context ‘BatedBreath’,Meaning&Context ‘BraveNewWorld’,Meaning&Context ‘BreakTheIce’,Meaning&Context ‘ComeWhatMay’,Meaning&Context ‘CountYourBlessings’,Meaning&Context ‘CruelToBeKind’,Meaning&Context ‘Eat,DrinkandBeMerry’,Meaning&Context ‘ElbowRoom’,Meaning&Context ‘FancyFree’,Meaning&Context ‘FightFireWithFire’,Meaning&Context ‘FleshandBlood’,Meaning&Context ‘ForGoodnessSake’,Meaning&Context ‘ForegoneConclusion’,Meaning&Context ‘ForeverAndADay’,Meaning&Context ‘Frailty,ThyNameIsWoman’,Meaning&Context ‘FullCircle’,Meaning&Context ‘GetCarriedAway’,Meaning&Context ‘GetTheeToANunnery’,Meaning&Context ‘GildTheLilly’,Meaning&Context ‘GoodRiddance’,Meaning&Context ‘GreenEyedMonster’,Meaning&Context ‘HandToMouth’,Meaning&Context ‘HeWhoSupsWithTheDevilShouldHaveALongSpoon’,Meaning&Context ‘HeartofGold’,Meaning&Context ‘HellHathNoFuryLikeAWomanScorned’,Meaning&Context ‘HighTime’,Meaning&Context ‘HoistedByHisOwnPetard’,Meaning&Context ‘HotBlooded’,Meaning&Context ‘InANutshell’Meaning&Context ‘InMyHeartOfHearts’,Meaning&Context ‘It’sGreekToMe’,Meaning&Context ‘KillWithKindness’,Meaning&Context ‘LieLow’,Meaning&Context ‘MakingTheBeastWithTwoBacks’,Meaning&Context ‘MeltedIntoThinAir’,Meaning&Context ‘Mind’sEye’,Meaning&Context ‘MurderMostFoul’,Meaning&Context ‘NeitherABorrowerNorALenderBe’,Meaning&Context ‘NeitherHereNorThere’,Meaning&Context ‘NightOwl’,Meaning&Context ‘NoManIsAnIsland’,Meaning&Context ‘NothingNewUnderTheSun’,Meaning&Context ‘OneFellSwoop’,Meaning&Context ‘PartingIsSuchSweetSorrow’,Meaning&Context ‘PompandCIrcumstance’,Meaning&Context ‘PractiseWhatYouPreach’,Meaning&Context ‘ScrewYourCourageToTheStickingPlace’,Meaning&Context ‘SeaChange’,Meaning&Context ‘ShortShrift’,Meaning&Context ‘SkinandBones’,Meaning&Context ‘Snail’sPace’,Meaning&Context ‘SonOfABitch’,Meaning&Context ‘SoundAndFury,SignifyingNothing’,Meaning&Context ‘StillWatersRunDeep’,Meaning&Context ‘TheLadyDothProtestTooMuch’,Meaning&Context ‘ThePlay’sTheThing’,Meaning&Context ‘TheTruthWillOut’,Meaning&Context ‘ThereAreMoreThingsInHeavenAndEarth’,Meaning&Context ‘ToSleepPerchanceToDream’,Meaning&Context ‘UpInArms’,Meaning&Context ‘WeHappyFew’,Meaning&Context ‘WearYourHeartOnYourSleeves’,Meaning&Context ‘WhatDreamsMayCome’,Meaning&Context ‘WhatTheDickens’,Meaning&Context ‘WhatYouEgg’,Meaning&Context ‘WhereforeArtThou’,Meaning&Context ‘WildGooseChase’,Meaning&Context ‘WoeIsMe’,Meaning&Context ‘AllThatGlittersIsNotGold’,Meaning ‘AllTheWorld’sAStage’:Quote&Meaning ‘DiscretionIsTheBetterPartOfValor’,Meaning&Context ‘SaladDays’,Meaning&Context ‘DoubleDoubleToilandTrouble’,Meaning TheMeaningOf‘Dudgeon’ ‘EtTuBrute’,Meaning ‘FairIsFoulAndFoulIsFair’,Meaning ‘FairPlay’,Meaning&Context ‘BrevityIsTheSoulOfWit’Meaning&Context ‘GoodNightSweetPrince’,Meaning&Context ‘HeavyIsTheHeadThatWearsTheCrown’,Meaning ‘OutrageousFortune’,Meaning&Context ‘Cry‘Havoc!’AndLetSlipTheDogsOfWar’:Speech&Analysis ‘IfMusicBeTheFoodOfLove’,Meaning ‘LoveIsBlind’,Meaning&Context ‘MyKingdomForAHorse’,Meaning&Context ‘OutBriefCandle’,Meaning ‘OutDamnedSpot’,Meaning ‘SomethingIsRottenintheStateOfDenmark’,Meaning ‘SomethingWickedThisWayComes’,Meaning&Context ‘ShuffleOffThisMortalCoil’Meaning ‘InAPickle’Meaning&Context ‘StarCrossedLovers’Meaning&Context ‘ThoughSheBeButLittle,SheIsFierce’:Quote&Analysis TheSevenAgesOfMan ‘OhWhatATangledWebWeWeave’SayingOrigin&Meaning ‘TheWorldIsYourOyster’SayingOrigin&Meaning ‘TillDeathDoUsPart’SayingOrigin&Meaning ‘TheseViolentDelightsHaveViolentEnds’Quote&Analysis ‘ToThineOwnSelfBeTrue’,Meaning&Context ‘TwoHousehold,BothAlikeinDignity’,Meaning ‘PieceOfWork’,Meaning&Context ‘WhatAPieceOfWorkIsMan’,Meaning ShakespeareQuotesByPlay 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