NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE  Nicolson, Marjorie

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Department of English
and
Comparative Literature
Philosophy Hall
May 17, 1941
Dear Mrs. Catt:
I did not wish to bother you last night at the White House,
but I thought I would write you to tell you the origin of the idea of the
"she-hyena" which you mentioned.  Walpole (I believe it was Walpole, was
it not?) was following in a long and accepted tradition in using that term
for a woman.  His probably source was Milton's Samson Agonistes, line 748,
which is the most famous literary use of it, and which Walpole undoubtedly
knew and probably had in mind.  It is one of the bitterest invectives
hurled at Dalila by Samson, when he is accusing her of treachery
Out, out Hyena; these are thy wonted arts,
And arts of every woman, false like thee,
To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray,
Then, as repentant, to submit, beseech
And reconcilement move with feigned remorse,
Confess, and promise wonders in her change,
Not truly repentant, but chief to try
Her husband........
It is the persistent theme of the deception of man by woman, and the
dangerous influence of woman in the world.  Milton had biblical authority
for the idea, for the Gloss of Ecclesiaticus, XIII. 18, in the Geneva
Biblex reads: that the hyena was "a wilde beaste that counterfaitheth the
voyce of men, and so entiseth them and devoureth them".
So far as the "she-hyena" is concerned, the reference probably goes
back to another 17th century belief, which is referred to by Milton's
nephew, Phillips, in 1696:  the hyena is described as a "wild Beast, which
is said to be Male one year and Female another, and to counterfeit human voice."
All these ideas were probably heritages from the medaevale "bestiaries"
or beast books, which retold legendary stories of beasts and often interpreted
them symbolically or in connection with Scripture.
However the idea is a persistent one, to be found in many places; and
while I have always taken it for granted that Walpole had Milton's passage
chiefly in mind, he could have got it from various other sources.
I send this on for your interest, merely because you indicated that
you would like to know why the term was used.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) Marjorie Nicolson
Dean of Smith College and Professor of English at Columbia.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Department of English
and
Comparative Literature
Philosophy Hall
May 17, 1941
Dear Mrs. Catt:
I did not wish to bother you last night at the White House,
but I thought I would write you to tell you the origin of the idea of the
"she-hyena" which you mentioned.  Walpole (I believe it was Walpole, was
it not?) was following in a long and accepted tradition in using that term
for a woman.  His probably source was Milton's Samson Agonistes, line 748,
which is the most famous literary use of it, and which Walpole undoubtedly
knew and probably had in mind.  It is one of the bitterest invectives
hurled at Dalila by Samson, when he is accusing her of treachery
Out, out Hyena; these are thy wonted arts,
And arts of every woman, false like thee,
To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray,
Then, as repentant, to submit, beseech
And reconcilement move with feigned remorse,
Confess, and promise wonders in her change,
Not truly repentant, but chief to try
Her husband........
It is the persistent theme of the deception of man by woman, and the
dangerous influence of woman in the world.  Milton had biblical authority
for the idea, for the Gloss of Ecclesiaticus, XIII. 18, in the Geneva
Biblex reads: that the hyena was "a wilde beaste that counterfaitheth the
voyce of men, and so entiseth them and devoureth them".
So far as the "she-hyena" is concerned, the reference probably goes
back to another 17th century belief, which is referred to by Milton's
nephew, Phillips, in 1696:  the hyena is described as a "wild Beast, which
is said to be Male one year and Female another, and to counterfeit human voice."
All these ideas were probably heritages from the medaevale "bestiaries"
or beast books, which retold legendary stories of beasts and often interpreted
them symbolically or in connection with Scripture.
However the idea is a persistent one, to be found in many places; and
while I have always taken it for granted that Walpole had Milton's passage
chiefly in mind, he could have got it from various other sources.
I send this on for your interest, merely because you indicated that
you would like to know why the term was used.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) Marjorie Nicolson
Dean of Smith College and Professor of English at Columbia.

Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.