rift in the lute

R

rift in the lute (metaphor)
/rɪft ɪn ðə luːt/

Variants

• rift within the lute
• a rift within the lute
• the little rift within the lute

Meanings

• A minor flaw or problem that could disrupt an entire situation or relationship.
• An initial sign of discord or disagreement between people.
• Early evidence of disharmony that may escalate into conflict.
• Something small with the potential to cause significant or far-reaching consequences.

Synonyms: breach; crack; flaw; fault; discord; tension; flaw in the harmony; sign of discord.

Example Sentences

1. A single misunderstanding became the rift in the lute that ended their partnership.
2. Her sharp comment was a rift in the lute, signaling growing tensions.
3. Neglecting the issue was a rift in the lute that led to the plan’s failure.

Origin and History

The expression “rift in the lute” originates from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem Idylls of the King (specifically the section “Merlin and Vivien”), first published in 1859. In this work, Tennyson uses the metaphor of a tiny crack in a lute—an instrument known for its delicate harmony—to illustrate how a seemingly minor fault can lead to complete ruin. In other words, Alfred forges the central image of a tiny crack in a lute that grows until it silences the instrument—an emblem of how small unfaith or fault can ruin the whole. The passage reads:

“It is the little rift within the lute, / That by and by will make the music mute…”

This image became one of Tennyson’s most enduring contributions to English idiomatic language.

The Etymological Image

The word rift already meant a split or crack; Tennyson’s choice of a lute (a delicate, stringed instrument) intensifies the metaphor: a hairline fracture threatens harmony itself. The idiom’s figurative sense— “a small flaw likely to have fatal consequences”—derives from this poetic image.

Diffusion into Common Usage

After 1859 the phrase moved from poetry into general discourse. By the late 19th century, it appears in religious and popular periodicals as a ready-made metaphor for creeping discord, indicating the idiom had entered public vocabulary beyond literary circles.

Competing Interpretations (Beliefs About Meaning)

Literary commentators and readers alike have interpreted the image in two closely related ways:

1. as the first sign of disharmony that may widen; and
2. as a minor defect with outsized consequences. Both are faithful to Tennyson’s lines and are the senses recorded in modern reference works.

Earliest Printed Record (Documented)

As mentioned earlier, the oldest widely cited printed source is Tennyson’s 1859 text in “Merlin and Vivien.”

Country of Origin

United Kingdom (England). The idiom originates in a Victorian English poem first published in Britain and rooted in the English Arthurian revival.

Later Cultural Echoes

The phrase soon inspired titles and artworks (e.g., Victorian paintings referencing Tennyson’s lines), reinforcing its cultural afterlife and cementing the metaphor in Anglophone usage.

Problem, Relationship

Last update: August 22, 2025 12:09 PM