Literary notes about maiden (AI summary)
In literary works the term "maiden" often conveys a blend of innocence, fragility, and symbolic purity while also serving as a marker of transformation or beginning. It characterizes characters whose vulnerability and untapped potential are central to the narrative, as when a young woman becomes an object of both tenderness and fate ([1], [2]) or when her presence inspires profound emotional shifts in others ([3], [4]). At times the word extends its reach to imply an inaugural effort or state—be it the “maiden speech” heralding a debut in rhetoric ([5]) or the evocative image of a figure who embodies unblemished beauty and hope ([6]). Such varied uses underscore how "maiden" enriches the literary tapestry with layers of cultural and symbolic meaning.
- And Arthur gave away the maiden to Geraint.
— from The Mabinogion - The maiden said, weeping, "Is there no way of delivering them?"
— from Household Tales by Brothers Grimm by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm - And the maiden stood under another tree.
— from The Mabinogion - Then, for the truth and plainness of the case, I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here, Giving my verdict on the white rose side.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare - I may truly say, that this is my maiden speech in behalf of maidens and others
— from History of Woman Suffrage, Volume I - “Quite an interesting study, that maiden,” he observed.
— from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
