Talk:Petard

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Quote:

Hamlet's actual meaning is "cause the bomb maker to be blown into the air with his own bomb," metaphorically turning the tables on Claudius, whose messengers are killed instead of Hamlet.

Doesn't that mean roughly the same as a hangman being hung with his own rope?

I have to second this observation, and was equally confused myself. Can anyone clarify what the major difference in usage is here? Mineralogy 08:44, 20 April 2006 (UTC)

Thirded. I really can't see the difference.

With Shakespeare's fondness for double entendre and dirty jokes, and the entymology of the word as given in the article, it suggests to me that Willie might have meant neither rope nor bomb, but something more flat(ulent).--Buckboard 02:10, 14 June 2006 (UTC)

you so funny 83.70.41.213 15:42, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

Contents 1 Spelling: petar 2 Animal Trap? 3 Spoiler? 4 Citations 5 Retard

[edit] Spelling: petar

Shakespeare's line was "...his own petar," so spelled.

[edit] Animal Trap?

The animal trap definition seems to be taken from here: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_295b.html where Cecil Adams specifically denies it. Does anyone have a primary source for this usage?

[edit] Spoiler?

I'm not actually saying to remove it, but I find it more than a little ironic to have a spoiler warning for a pop culture play written 400 years ago. --Kaz 06:29, 1 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Citations

Now that the British Library has images of the original quartos online, we can read the early texts for ourselves. In the fifth quarto (1637, Garrick), on page 65 we do find "For ’tis the sport, to have the Enginer / Hoist with his owne petar, an’t shall goe hard …". This passage is apparently not yet found in the first quarto (1603, Halliwell–Phillipps).

In any event, the word is famous because of Hamlet, and yet the article has no reference section, nor even a precise citation of Hamlet, Act III, scene 4 (final speech in scene). --KSmrq^T 19:37, 31 July 2006 (UTC)

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Petards in Malta:

The article states that it is highly dangerous. This is not true as altough there is danger in this job when following certain rules accidents rarely happen. Danger is present in every type of fireworks manufacturing aroun the world. Also latley educated people are known to work in petards and fireworks, some of them have studied chemistry at the university. Also fireworks factories are set in rural areas away from buildings. People working in fireworks factories are all licenced to work there, with one of them being licensed as being responsabile for the foctory and all workers. Who works in these firework factories is obliged to leave any food, drink, cigarettes and lighters he brought with him in the 'kitchen' away from work is done. The factories are somtimes opened for exhibition before village fetas, where visitors especially tourists go to see the unexploded shells.

195.158.117.190 21:10, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Retard

I removed the "Hoisted by his own retard" section. A claim of "entering pop culture" needs more clear support than a pun made in an article. Pjbflynn 16:23, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

I added the section back. While I agree with your claim that the section needs more support, it's worthwhile having there now until contributors can flesh it out more. --71.132.129.100 09:49, 16 January 2007 (UTC)

Removed. There is no indication that the claim of "entering the language" on a particular date is correct, and since the pun is obvious and not particularly interesting, it surely has been used before. It sheds no light on the word Petard, and is completely irrelevant. The entry as it stands simply says, in essence, "Once there was an article and this phrase was in it." - Corporal Tunnel 23:39, 6 February 2007 (UTC)