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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007... she did not step to it with a gay foot
Hello: What is the meaning you see in the "step to it" here? ------ [This is a passage written by Cass Mastern in his journal during the Civil War era, thus the language must be appropriate, I assume] ... whatever her sin (and mine) she did not step to it with a gay foot and with the eyes hard with lust and fleshly cupidity. All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren, p. 243 ------ Is this just "move/proceed to it" or could it be "hurry to it?" (I saw some discussions in other forums on that). Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Is this just "move/proceed to it" or could it be "hurry to it?" (I > saw some discussions in other forums on that). I don't see any suggestion of speed in the choice of "step"; if anything, the writer is saying the reverse. There may be some idea of a dance (the image is continued in "with a gay foot"), and the implication that she came to it of her own will. It seems more like the use of a concrete term to make a general idea more immediate to the reader. > > ... whatever her sin (and mine) she did not step to it with a gay > > foot and with the eyes hard with lust and fleshly cupidity. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I don't see any suggestion of speed in the choice of "step"; OK, this was my main question. Thank you all. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Is this just "move/proceed to it" or could it be "hurry to it?" (I saw > some discussions in other forums on that). I think it means she set about doing a chore with determination, and not with anticipation of enjoyment. I think a bit more context about the situation, though. Talking about sin here implies that she is dutifully going about a sex chore. > > ------ > > ... whatever her sin (and mine) she did not step to it with a gay foot [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Talking about sin here implies that she is dutifully going about a sex > chore. The writer of the journal and the lady in question were involved in an adulterous relationship, her being the wife of one of his best friends. I don't think it was a chore, on the contrary, a passionate affair. Also, it was her who initiated the liaison, by writing a suggestive letter to her future lover. The sin is mentioned because the liaison went awry as a result of her husband's suicide (upon his discovery of the affair). But the most contrite participant of the two was the man writing the journal, thus the mention of "sin" in his telling the story (most of which is is told retroactively). She had been most concerned with it not being discovered (reason for which she sells a slave who knew too much), and less with the idea of sin. Thank you, though. Marius Hancu >> > ------ >> > ... whatever her sin (and mine) she did not step to it with a gay [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Also, it was her who initiated the liaison, by writing a suggestive > letter to her future lover. "It was she who initiated. . ." Well, then, if she relished it, she performed in a deliberate way. OK. > The sin is mentioned because the liaison went awry as a result of her > husband's suicide (upon his discovery of the affair). But the most [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Thank you, though. > Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Is this just "move/proceed to it" or could it be "hurry to it?" (I saw > some discussions in other forums on that). I'd say "step to it" means "undertake", and "with a gay foot" is just an extension of the "step" metaphor, and should mean "happily". Thus, "whatever her sin (and mine) she did not [undertake it happily or] with [her] eyes hard with lust and fleshly cupidity". "Fleshly" is secretly an adjective. >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > "Fleshly" is secretly an adjective. He offered friendlily. >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > her sin (and mine) she did not [undertake it happily or] with [her] > eyes hard with lust and fleshly cupidity". I don't take it to mean "not ... happily". The whole thing might be paraphrased as "She came to it gravely and lovingly,": not as a sinner. > "Fleshly" is secretly an adjective. > >> Hello: > >> [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > paraphrased as "She came to it gravely and lovingly,": not as a > sinner. At this point, I'm sticking with my take on it. The way the sentence is constructed leads me to believe that the "not" carries through to the rest of the sentence. With more context, I might take another look. > > "Fleshly" is secretly an adjective. >>>> Hello: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > through to the rest of the sentence. With more context, I might > take another look. I agree entirely that the effect of "not" applies to everything that follows: that's how I arrived at my paraphrase. I concede that I haven't read the novel either. Perhaps enlightenment will have to wait until one of us finds it at the library. |
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