A Millstone Around One’s Neck
The phrase “a millstone around one’s neck” denotes a heavy, unrelenting burden that hampers progress and feels impossible to escape. It conjures an image of being weighed down to the point of stagnation or even destruction.
Origin of “A Millstone Around One’s Neck”
The expression comes directly from the Bible, Matthew 18:6. In the Wycliffe Bible of the 14th century it reads: “It said to him that a millstone of assis be hangid in his necke and be drenchid in to the depth of the sea.” The choice of a millstone—a stone used for grinding grain—was intentional because its great weight ensured the condemned would sink and drown. The phrase entered common use in the late Middle Ages and remains a powerful metaphor in English literature.
Analysis: Connecting to Literature and Importance
The enduring power of the phrase lies in its vivid imagery and its ability to convey profound emotional and thematic weight efficiently. Originally describing a cruel punishment, it has evolved into a metaphor for any overwhelming obligation—financial, emotional, or moral. Writers use it to evoke a visceral sense of hopelessness and to highlight the crushing effect of responsibilities that seem impossible to shed.
In the biblical context the image warns of the severe consequences of harming the innocent. In everyday use it reminds us that our choices carry weight and that we are often accountable for the burdens we bear.
Examples from Literature
Below are literary passages that illustrate the phrase’s versatility and impact.
Matthew 18:6, King James Bible
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it would have been better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
This verse sets the tone for the phrase’s severity, turning a literal millstone into a symbol of moral weight. The drowning that follows underscores the gravity of the warning.
Let the Children Come to Me by Michael Walker
Let the little children come to me.
They are sent forth like sheep amid the wolves.
Their angels in heaven see,
While here on earth they are chased by Satan’s hooves.Heaven is made up of such as these.
Lest you become like a little child,
You shall not enter into heaven’s seas.
My hand is turned against the man gone wild.Brood of vipers! O, ye den of thieves!
A millstone should be hung around your neck
And cast into the sea, for my heart grieves
To see the little ones whose lives you wreck!
Walker uses the biblical phrase to condemn those who harm children, emphasizing the severity of such acts and the divine retribution that follows.
From The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
“He said that Ammu and Estha and Rahel were millstones around his neck. The backs of Rahel’s legs went wet and sweaty. Her skin slipped on the leather upholstery of the car seat. She and Estha knew about millstones. In the Mutiny on the Bounty, when people died at sea, they were wrapped in white sheets and thrown overboard with millstones around their necks so that the corpses wouldn’t float. Estha wasn’t sure how many millstones they had taken before they set off on their voyage.”
Roy juxtaposes the literal execution device with the metaphorical sense of children as a burden. The reference to the Mutiny on the Bounty deepens the historical context and underscores the finality of the punishment.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“And I had laid upon my breast a black cross, and I had hung the albatross upon my neck.”
Coleridge substitutes the albatross for a millstone, yet the symbolic weight remains the same. The bird becomes a burden that condemns the Mariner, echoing the core idea of being weighed down by one’s actions.
Examples in Sentences as Literary Devices
Example 1: “His children have become millstones around his neck in his old age, creating a heavy financial and emotional burden.”
Example 2: “His disabled son is like a millstone around his neck; he cannot leave him and is never able to let him go.”
Example 3: “A millstone around his neck once served as a capital punishment in the ancient world, a grim reminder that such a weight could mean death.”
Example 4: “The millstone around his neck proved heavy for him, a constant reminder of the responsibilities he carries.”
Example 5: “He seemed indifferent to the millstone around his neck because he had always taken on the responsibility of supporting his family.”
In conclusion, “a millstone around one’s neck” remains a striking metaphor. Its biblical roots give it historical gravitas, while its flexible imagery allows it to fit a wide range of contexts—from literal punishment to metaphorical hardship. Whether applied literally or figuratively, the phrase vividly conveys the crushing weight of an inescapable duty and the peril that can accompany it. Its persistence in literature attests to its power to capture the complexities of the human experience.