In Latin is where the etymological origin of the term maiden that now concerns us is found. Specifically, we can state that it derives from the diminutive dominicella, which comes from domina, which is “lady of the house”. A word that last one that emanates from domus, which is synonymous with “house”.
Its first meaning mentioned by the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) refers to a woman who is a virgin.
According to this meaning, therefore, a maiden is a member of the female gender who did not have intercourse. By extension, young women are known as maidens. In classical literature, maidens were usually princesses waiting to meet the ideal man to marry and start a family.
A virgin woman is called a maiden.
The maid as servant
A maid, on the other hand, can be a maid or servant who assists the lady of the house in the development of domestic tasks, except cooking.
The maidens, in this framework, receive financial compensation in exchange for their work.
Joan of Arc
In the same way, we cannot ignore the historical importance of the nickname “The Maid of Orleans”. Specifically, this was used to refer to Joan of Arc (1412 – 1431), the young English peasant who managed to have Charles VII of Valois crowned Gallic king after leading the French army during the well-known Hundred Years’ War..
That nickname comes to him because it was precisely in Orleans where the aforementioned Carlos VII gave him the necessary authority to lead his army.
In relation to this historical female figure and her nickname, there is a play entitled “The Maid of Orleans ”. It was written by the German playwright Friedrich Schiller, it premiered at the beginning of the 19th century and I came to expose not only the most important moments of Juana ‘s career on the battlefield but also when she is captured by the English and even when she manages to free herself by herself to rejoin the French and win the contest.
This work would also inspire an opera written by Giuseppe Verdi under the title “Joana d’Arc” (1844).
The British band Iron Maiden takes its name from the torture instrument known in Spanish as iron maiden.
Iron Maiden
An instrument of torture and execution that would have been created in the 16th century is known as an iron maiden. It is a kind of metallic coffin with nails on its door. The victim entered the box standing up: when the door was closed, the nails pierced her body, but without affecting the vital organs, in such a way as to cause a painful and slow death. The medieval use of this macabre instrument to fulfill a judicial sentence has never been proven, although it was known that, later, the iron maiden was used outside the law. According to abbreviationfinder, IM stands for Iron Maiden.
Iron Maiden, a famous rock group of British origin, took its name from this instrument. The expression iron maiden, in fact, translates into English as iron maiden.