When they say: "they are bound by the bonds of Hymen", what does this mean? Let's understand the intricacies of phraseology.
Hymenaeus - who is this?
In Greek mythology, this was the name of the god of marriage. Its family roots are very confusing. We will not consider them. Another thing is more important: according to one of the legends, Hymen is an effeminate young man (as handsome as a girl) who dies on the day of marriage. The "bonds of Hymen" refers to the bonds of marriage. And in this case, there is no negative meaning, despite the death of the young man.
Interpretation of Hymen's death
But the symbolic interpretation of the death of a handsome young man is exciting: for example, marriage can be seen as the end of free life and the beginning of family life. Some sources interpret even more radically: the death of a young man indicates the death of beauty and youth in marriage. Perhaps the last interpretation is too gloomy. Although in some cases it is true. It all depends on marriage and relationships between people. In any case, if a person is entangled in the bonds of Hymen, then he must forever close the door to hispast life. But practice shows that this is not always the case. Sometimes it also happens that beauty and youth do not perish in a family, sometimes they simply pass into a more noble, moderate state.
Pre-revolutionary understanding of phraseology
However, let's digress from the roots of the expression and from today's jokes. In pre-revolutionary Russia, when they said “they are bound by the bonds of Hymen,” they meant not only that people were married, but also that they had certain moral obligations to each other. And they concern not only sexual relations.
Phraseologism in literature
Now, when history has been forgotten, the very first and superficial meaning of the phraseological unit remains - marriage bonds. Nevertheless, the expression is quite literary, it was used by A. S. Pushkin in "Eugene Onegin" and O. Henry. The master of short stories has a wonderful work called Hymen's Handbook. The plot of the work of the American classic, as always, is unexpected and funny. The protagonist finds happiness and the love of his life with the help of a collection of various facts and recipes.
The tone of the expression
These two examples show that the phraseologism "the bonds of Hymen" can not only be pronounced in a decent society, but also necessary. True, it is hardly suitable for political debates, but only because the deputies have not recently touched on the topic of family and marriage, otherwise the young god would have come to the court and in the Duma.
The tone may vary depending on the context. If this stable phrase is written in a sublime poem or high-flown congratulatory speech, then it will not cause a smile. But if the expression “the bonds of Hymen” is woven into the everyday speech of a modern person (the meaning of the phraseological unit is discussed above), then a comic effect often occurs. It is appropriate to use it when the speaker wants to make a joke. Usually the topic of such witticisms is precisely the conclusion of marriage alliances.
