Making the beast with two backs is a
euphemistic
A euphemism () is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one that is deemed offensive or suggests something unpleasant. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the user wishes ...
metaphor for two persons engaged in
sexual intercourse. It refers to the situation in which a couple—in the
missionary position
The missionary position or man-on-top position is a sex position in which, generally, a woman lies on her back and a man lies on top of her while they face each other and engage in vaginal intercourse. The position may also be used for other ...
, on their sides, kneeling, or standing—cling to each other as if a single creature, with their backs to the outside.
In English, the expression dates back to at least
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Othello'' (Act 1, Scene 1, ll. 126–127, ):
The earliest known occurrence of the phrase is in
Rabelais's ''
Gargantua and Pantagruel
''The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel'' (french: La vie de Gargantua et de Pantagruel) is a pentalogy of novels written in the 16th century by François Rabelais, telling the adventures of two giants, Gargantua ( , ) and his son Pantagruel ...
'' (c. 1532) as the phrase ''la bête à deux dos''.
Thomas Urquhart
Sir Thomas Urquhart (1611–1660) was a Scottish aristocrat, writer, and translator. He is best known for his translation of the works of French Renaissance writer François Rabelais to English.
Biography
Urquhart was born to Thomas Urquhart ...
translated ''
Gargantua and Pantagruel
''The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel'' (french: La vie de Gargantua et de Pantagruel) is a pentalogy of novels written in the 16th century by François Rabelais, telling the adventures of two giants, Gargantua ( , ) and his son Pantagruel ...
'' into English, which was published posthumously around 1693.
See also
*''
The Beast with Two Backs'', a studio album by the goth rock band
Inkubus Sukkubus
Inkubus Sukkubus are an English goth and pagan band, formed in 1989 by Candia Ridley, Tony McKormack and Adam Henderson, who have been described as one of the most enduringly popular underground Goth bands in the UK. They also have been descr ...
.
*''
A Beast With Two Backs'', a British television play first broadcast in 1968.
*''
Back with Two Beasts'', an album by the Australian band
The Church.
*''
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs''
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beast With Two Backs
Shakespearean phrases
Sexual slang
Othello
François Rabelais