Meaning of senex | Babel Free

Definitions

An older or old man, chiefly as a stock character.

Examples

“6. Old Men or Senexes. Frequently these characters have⟳ a beautiful young ward who, often, they wish⟳ to marry⟳ (or wish⟳ to marry⟳ off to someone the ward doesn’t like⟳) and it is the task of the hero, the male lead⟳, often helped by a shrewd servant or slave (or similar figure⟳) to outwit the senex and marry⟳ the girl. Sometimes the senex figure⟳ is actually married to a young wife and that poses numerous complications: the old husband is jealous, the young wife unsatisfied in various ways with a different perspective on life.”

“Now for more about the four birds, explicitly identified with the four evangelists as the four old men or Senexes. Notice⟳ the repetition on four as the four Gospel books repeat⟳ much of the same history of Christ, perhaps as a result⟳ of an editorial effort to achieve⟳ uniformity.”

“It concludes, though, not with an image of resigned heads or rebellious newcomers: instead, after the camera lifts for the final credits to the heavens—the only site for the senexes’ social and educational ideals?—it descends on the playing fields where the school’s ration-book-resourceful porter Rainbow (Edward Rigby) and his youthful assistant are seen collapsed under the frequently-removed rugby posts.”

CEFR level