Meaning of “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”
The phrase “between the devil and the deep blue sea” means a person facing two extremely difficult situations and choices. It also means either of choice will be dangerous and have the same risks and unpleasant results.
Origin of “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”
The phrase “between the devil and the deep blue sea” is stated to have been derived from a song. The song was written by Ted Koehler and his colleague in 1931. Originally, it has been taken from the book of Robert Monro, which was published in 1637. It was titled as His Expedition with Worthy Scots Regiment Called Mac-Keyes in which it goes thus; “I, with my partie, did lie on our poste, as betwixt the devill and the deep sea.” After this, it has become popular with the song almost in the same words as the title.
Examples in Literature
Example #1
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Ted Koehler
Is there anyone around who cannot see
It’s the well-known runaround you’re giving me?
I suppose you’ll tell me I’m all wrong.
It’s a bitter pill to take, coming from you,
Though I’ve made a big mistake, what can I do?
I don’t know what makes me string along.I don’t want you,
But I’d hate to lose you,
You’ve got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea.
I forgive you,
‘Cause I can’t forget you,
You’ve got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea.
I ought to cross you off my list,
But when you come knocking at my door
Fate seems to give my heart a twist,
And I come running back for more.
I should hate you,
But I guess I love you,
You’ve got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea.
The original song of Ted Koehler “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” was written in 1931. The song describes the situation of a lover who cannot leave his beloved. Sadly, she does not give him enough time and love. That is why he feels that he has two dangerous choices. If he meets her, he doesn’t get enough love, which leaves him hurt. Second, if he leaves her, he cannot survive. He, therefore, accuses his beloved that she has placed him between “the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Example #2
Sandwiched in Between Two Universes by Daniel Abdal Moore
Between birth and death carbohydrates and
Cholesterol-free either/or love and its myriad
Unreliable opposites
And ultimately after all these millennia
Between the devil and the deep blue sea as always
And I shall take the deep blue sea any way
The above stanza sheds light on the modern lifestyle and unreliable foodstuff that the current generation eats. Therefore, the poet finds himself between the devil and the deep blue sea, which means that the new lifestyle demands unhealthy processed foods that are made of carbohydrates and fat. They take their toll from the people. However, the poet favors the “deep blue sea” which means the modern age.
Example #3
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Cheryl Mildenhall
The story is about some girls who go out of the city to live in a country house and meet Mr. Darius Harwood, the owner of the retreat and a delightful person. Hillary, the outgoing girl, explores the possibility between Mr. Harwood and Haldane, the sailor, but she sees herself trapped between the two options. The real situation between the devil and the deep blue sea. The use of this phrase as the title of the novel is apt.
Example #4
Phases of Human Development by Mona Caird
It is true that under present conditions, complete resistance to an aggression is not really possible to a woman. There are methods of compulsion which scarcely admit of defiance. She can be placed, if her resistance grows desperate, between the devil and the deep sea: between the alternatives of submission in marriage to whatever may be required of her, injuries and insults if need be. – or the surrender of her children, perhaps into hands that she regards, as of all others, the most unfit to train them. This is the weapon by which many a wife has been forced to obedience, as by the application of the thumbscrew. The feeling that was aroused in the public mind by the character of Ibsen’s “Nora,” shows what a method would have to contend with, in popular sentiment, who dared the terrors of the social torture-chamber, and thus threated the efficacy of this venerable instrument of government.
The book sheds light on the situation of women they face at home when they are married. The writer argues that women have tough choices when showing resistance, for it could lead to failed marriages, which is a very tricky and challenging situation for them. Therefore, the author has used the phrase to show this awkward position of women. The meanings are clear from its use in this passage.
Examples in Sentences
Example #1: “Renee was in a fix, she could neither invite her friends to a party nor take them to a treat. She was really between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Example #2: “The teacher chastised Herman for not coming in the uniform. She said I don’t see that you are between the devil and the deep blue sea from your attire. So the way you have talked about your choices is meaningless, and you get detention for the rest of the month.”
Example #3: “Paul truly does not know what is between the devil and the deep blue sea; without thinking he takes a decision and acts upon it without worrying about consequences.”
Example #4: “Monica was stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. If she traveled, she would catch the spreading virus. If she didn’t, she would lose a potential business client.
Example #5: “Portia had to tell the truth to her friend when their car broke down. She forgot to fill the fuel, and now they were between the devil and the deep blue sea.