Where Does the Phrase "In the Limelight" Come From?
While entertainers, politicians and others who seek fame and fortune hope to bask "in the limelight," crooks and bad politicians hope to avoid it. So what, exactly, is the "limelight"?
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Inspiration for the "Limelight"
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Some accounts credit the inspiration for the limelight to British chemist Sir Humphrey Davy (1778-1829) and his "Davy Lamp" invented in 1808 for use in mining. Although the hand-held Davy Lamp was seen as a breakthrough in mine safety, Sir Humphrey Davy's work in improving incandescence was monumental, laying the groundwork for Edison's electric bulb.
Sir Goldsworthy Gurney
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The invention of the "limelight" is credited to Sir Goldsworthy Gurney (1793-1875). He was a Cornish engineer who developed an oxy-hydrogen blowpipe that he used to concentrate an intense flame on a piece of calcium oxide (otherwise known as quicklime or, simply, lime) to produce an incandescent light.
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Thomas Drummond's Contibution
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Thomas Drummond (1797-1840)---a Scottish surveyor, inventor and politician---recognized the practical applications of Gurney's light and improved upon its design, primarily with a system to keep the lime burning longer, with his "Drummond Light," which was close in design to the heliograph later used as a spotlight in theaters.
The Limelight and Theaters
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The limelight was first used in the theater in 1855 and, by 1860, became a popular replacement for oil lamps, which presented a greater danger of causing fire. Although the limelight, too, presented the danger of explosion, its efficiency and brighter incandescence led to broader use.
Evolution of Theater Lighting
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Oil lamps and candles had been used for centuries to illuminate actors onstage prior to the limelight. Limelights were eventually replaced by carbon-arc lighting, colored fire and the incandescent electric lamp, which is used today.
The Use of the Phrase
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It was during the 19th century that the slang phrase "in the limelight" fell into popular usage, and it continues in common use today. Just as actors on stage were once washed in the incandescence of the bright burning lime, so too are modern celebrities when exposed by the media.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Theguyinblue, public domaine, Creative Commons
