Procrustean Bed

Procrustean bed definition is a scheme or pattern into which someone or something is arbitrarily forced.

Procrustean bed. In greek mythology the giant procrustes would capture people and then stretch or cut off their limbs to make them fit into his bed. The metaphorical phrase procrustean bed is derived from the story of procrustes procrustes a thief was a character in a story from popular greek mythology. Procrustes described it as having the unique property that its length exactly matched whomsoever lay down upon it. Procrustean bed synonyms procrustean bed pronunciation procrustean bed translation english dictionary definition of procrustean bed.

Procrustes had an iron bed or according to some accounts two beds on which he compelled his victims to lie. Origin of this idiom. Also procrustean bed n. A procrustean bed is an arbitrary standard to which exact conformity is forced.

Procrustes in greek legend a robber dwelling somewhere in attica in some versions in the neighbourhood of eleusis. French philosopher jacques derrida in the purveyor of truth his response to jacques lacan s. The useful idiomatic phrase procrustean bed means forcing someone or something to fit or conform generally through some type of violence. His father was said to be poseidon.

Procrustean bed a situation or place that someone is forced into often violently. Adjective of relating to or typical of procrustes. Here if a victim was shorter. An arbitrary standard to which exact conformity is forced.

Procrustean bed definition a plan or scheme to produce uniformity or conformity by arbitrary or violent methods. What procrustes didn t volunteer was the method by which this one size fits all was achieved namely as soon as the guest lay down procrustes went to work upon him stretching him on the rack if he was too short for the bed and chopping off his legs if he was too long.