Where does the humor of “satisfaction on the field of honor” come from?
-2
I am reading A Gentleman in Moscow and on the first page of the book, count Rostov is being questioned by prosecutor Vyshinsky:
Vyshinsky: Before we begin, I must say, I do not think I have ever seen a jacket festooned with so many buttons.
Rostov: Thank you.
Vyshinsky: It was not meant as a compliment.
Rostov: In that case, I demand
satisfaction on the field of honor.
I have a difficulty understanding where the humor is, even though I understand the literal meaning of field of honor. Is the count challenging the prosecutor to a duel, as he is not complimenting him?
meaning humor
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
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show 1 more comment
-2
I am reading A Gentleman in Moscow and on the first page of the book, count Rostov is being questioned by prosecutor Vyshinsky:
Vyshinsky: Before we begin, I must say, I do not think I have ever seen a jacket festooned with so many buttons.
Rostov: Thank you.
Vyshinsky: It was not meant as a compliment.
Rostov: In that case, I demand
satisfaction on the field of honor.
I have a difficulty understanding where the humor is, even though I understand the literal meaning of field of honor. Is the count challenging the prosecutor to a duel, as he is not complimenting him?
meaning humor
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
1
Yes, Rostov challenged Vyshinsky to a duel over spurning his buttons. It's up to interpretation what the humor was in that context - it could be that they mocked his old-fashioned aristocratic braggadocio shown by Rostov, or that even Rostov was making a joke - it was already silly to propose a duel over something so small in the context of being questioned by a prosecutor for the Kremlin.
– TaliesinMerlin
2 days ago
1
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it isn't a question about English but about finding the humor in a conversation in a novel.
– TRomano
2 days ago
1
Dueling was a pre-Revolution thing, unthinkable in the setting of the book, Thus, both the "Thank you" and the demand for a duel were ironic, i.e.. the Count knew that he wasn't being complimented, and he did not care that he was being insulted. He was, as the duel reference implied, a gentleman, and piss-ants like Vyshinsky did not merit the respect of a non-ironic reply. I don't know that "humor" is intended by the author so much as by the character, whose insouciance is meant to ridicule the show trial in which he was a player. (Enjoy the book; its excellent.)
– remarkl
2 days ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
|
show 1 more comment
-2
-2
-2
I am reading A Gentleman in Moscow and on the first page of the book, count Rostov is being questioned by prosecutor Vyshinsky:
Vyshinsky: Before we begin, I must say, I do not think I have ever seen a jacket festooned with so many buttons.
Rostov: Thank you.
Vyshinsky: It was not meant as a compliment.
Rostov: In that case, I demand
satisfaction on the field of honor.
I have a difficulty understanding where the humor is, even though I understand the literal meaning of field of honor. Is the count challenging the prosecutor to a duel, as he is not complimenting him?
meaning humor
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
I am reading A Gentleman in Moscow and on the first page of the book, count Rostov is being questioned by prosecutor Vyshinsky:
Vyshinsky: Before we begin, I must say, I do not think I have ever seen a jacket festooned with so many buttons.
Rostov: Thank you.
Vyshinsky: It was not meant as a compliment.
Rostov: In that case, I demand
satisfaction on the field of honor.
I have a difficulty understanding where the humor is, even though I understand the literal meaning of field of honor. Is the count challenging the prosecutor to a duel, as he is not complimenting him?
meaning humor
meaning humor
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 2 days ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
1045
1
Yes, Rostov challenged Vyshinsky to a duel over spurning his buttons. It's up to interpretation what the humor was in that context - it could be that they mocked his old-fashioned aristocratic braggadocio shown by Rostov, or that even Rostov was making a joke - it was already silly to propose a duel over something so small in the context of being questioned by a prosecutor for the Kremlin.
– TaliesinMerlin
2 days ago
1
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it isn't a question about English but about finding the humor in a conversation in a novel.
– TRomano
2 days ago
1
Dueling was a pre-Revolution thing, unthinkable in the setting of the book, Thus, both the "Thank you" and the demand for a duel were ironic, i.e.. the Count knew that he wasn't being complimented, and he did not care that he was being insulted. He was, as the duel reference implied, a gentleman, and piss-ants like Vyshinsky did not merit the respect of a non-ironic reply. I don't know that "humor" is intended by the author so much as by the character, whose insouciance is meant to ridicule the show trial in which he was a player. (Enjoy the book; its excellent.)
– remarkl
2 days ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
|
show 1 more comment
1
Yes, Rostov challenged Vyshinsky to a duel over spurning his buttons. It's up to interpretation what the humor was in that context - it could be that they mocked his old-fashioned aristocratic braggadocio shown by Rostov, or that even Rostov was making a joke - it was already silly to propose a duel over something so small in the context of being questioned by a prosecutor for the Kremlin.
– TaliesinMerlin
2 days ago
1
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it isn't a question about English but about finding the humor in a conversation in a novel.
– TRomano
2 days ago
1
Dueling was a pre-Revolution thing, unthinkable in the setting of the book, Thus, both the "Thank you" and the demand for a duel were ironic, i.e.. the Count knew that he wasn't being complimented, and he did not care that he was being insulted. He was, as the duel reference implied, a gentleman, and piss-ants like Vyshinsky did not merit the respect of a non-ironic reply. I don't know that "humor" is intended by the author so much as by the character, whose insouciance is meant to ridicule the show trial in which he was a player. (Enjoy the book; its excellent.)
– remarkl
2 days ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
1
1
Yes, Rostov challenged Vyshinsky to a duel over spurning his buttons. It's up to interpretation what the humor was in that context - it could be that they mocked his old-fashioned aristocratic braggadocio shown by Rostov, or that even Rostov was making a joke - it was already silly to propose a duel over something so small in the context of being questioned by a prosecutor for the Kremlin.
– TaliesinMerlin
2 days ago
Yes, Rostov challenged Vyshinsky to a duel over spurning his buttons. It's up to interpretation what the humor was in that context - it could be that they mocked his old-fashioned aristocratic braggadocio shown by Rostov, or that even Rostov was making a joke - it was already silly to propose a duel over something so small in the context of being questioned by a prosecutor for the Kremlin.
– TaliesinMerlin
2 days ago
1
1
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it isn't a question about English but about finding the humor in a conversation in a novel.
– TRomano
2 days ago
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it isn't a question about English but about finding the humor in a conversation in a novel.
– TRomano
2 days ago
1
1
Dueling was a pre-Revolution thing, unthinkable in the setting of the book, Thus, both the "Thank you" and the demand for a duel were ironic, i.e.. the Count knew that he wasn't being complimented, and he did not care that he was being insulted. He was, as the duel reference implied, a gentleman, and piss-ants like Vyshinsky did not merit the respect of a non-ironic reply. I don't know that "humor" is intended by the author so much as by the character, whose insouciance is meant to ridicule the show trial in which he was a player. (Enjoy the book; its excellent.)
– remarkl
2 days ago
Dueling was a pre-Revolution thing, unthinkable in the setting of the book, Thus, both the "Thank you" and the demand for a duel were ironic, i.e.. the Count knew that he wasn't being complimented, and he did not care that he was being insulted. He was, as the duel reference implied, a gentleman, and piss-ants like Vyshinsky did not merit the respect of a non-ironic reply. I don't know that "humor" is intended by the author so much as by the character, whose insouciance is meant to ridicule the show trial in which he was a player. (Enjoy the book; its excellent.)
– remarkl
2 days ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
|
show 1 more comment
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1
Yes, Rostov challenged Vyshinsky to a duel over spurning his buttons. It's up to interpretation what the humor was in that context - it could be that they mocked his old-fashioned aristocratic braggadocio shown by Rostov, or that even Rostov was making a joke - it was already silly to propose a duel over something so small in the context of being questioned by a prosecutor for the Kremlin.
– TaliesinMerlin
2 days ago
1
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it isn't a question about English but about finding the humor in a conversation in a novel.
– TRomano
2 days ago
1
Dueling was a pre-Revolution thing, unthinkable in the setting of the book, Thus, both the "Thank you" and the demand for a duel were ironic, i.e.. the Count knew that he wasn't being complimented, and he did not care that he was being insulted. He was, as the duel reference implied, a gentleman, and piss-ants like Vyshinsky did not merit the respect of a non-ironic reply. I don't know that "humor" is intended by the author so much as by the character, whose insouciance is meant to ridicule the show trial in which he was a player. (Enjoy the book; its excellent.)
– remarkl
2 days ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
2 days ago