While watching Season Two of The House of Cards
(and yes, I am strangely drawn to the House of Cards, perhaps by its fast pace and great writing), I chanced upon, at episode 25, this following phase: “cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war” which was uttered by Frank as he got cornered by opposing forces, yet continued to put up his fight. I was intrigued by this phrase and did some reading up. In English, the dogs of war is a phrase from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: “Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war”. Based on Wikipedia, in a literal reading, “dogs” are the familiar animals, trained for warfare. Hence “havoc” is a military order permitting the seizure of spoil after a victory and “let slip” is to release from the lease. From another perspective, the “dogs of war” are the political and societal restraints against war that operator during the times of peace, and when there is no peace, and only war, there can only be chaos and havoc — and here havoc would mean rape, pillage and plunder.
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AuthorI am MrWildy and I am trying to journal more about my life and also my travels. Find out more about me here. Categories
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August 2024
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