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 14 hours 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 14 hours 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
14 hours 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
14 hours 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
13 hours ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
12 hours 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 14 hours 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 14 hours ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 14 hours ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 14 hours ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 14 hours ago
Xinting WANGXinting WANG
1045
asked 14 hours 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
14 hours 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
14 hours 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
13 hours ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
12 hours 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
14 hours 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
14 hours 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
13 hours ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
12 hours 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
14 hours 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
14 hours 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
14 hours 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
14 hours 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
13 hours 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
13 hours ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
12 hours 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
14 hours 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
14 hours 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
13 hours ago
@remarkl: Thank you for the explanation. I am not very familiar with the historical background and now it makes sense.
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago
@TaliesinMerlin, Thank you. With the explanation from you and remarkl's I understand the meaning here now!
– Xinting WANG
12 hours ago