hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

== English == === Alternative forms === hell has no fury like a woman scorned === Etymology === First written as "Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd." in the 1697 play The Mourning Bride (Act III Scene 2) by William Congreve. The modern form with 'hath' instead of 'has' is not Congreve's wording; the phrase is often falsely attributed to Shakespeare or the King James Bible. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /hɛl hæθ nəʊ ˈfjʊəɹi laɪk ə ˈwʊmən skɔːnd/ (US) IPA(key): /hɛl hæθ noʊ ˈfjʊɹi laɪk ə ˈwʊmən skɔɹnd/ === Proverb === hell hath no fury like a woman scorned Said to express that a woman who has been romantically rejected, betrayed, or otherwise deeply wronged may react with great anger or vindictiveness. For more quotations using this term, see Citations:hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. ==== Usage notes ==== In modern use, the quotation has become an independent proverb, usually detached from its original context in William Congreve's The Mourning Bride (1697). Some speakers regard the proverb as potentially reinforcing negative gender stereotypes portraying women as especially vengeful or prone to extreme anger following romantic rejection. === Further reading === “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”, in Collins English Dictionary, 2011–present. “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.