A fishmonger (Fishwife for women practicioners, "wife" in this case used in its arachic meaning of "woman") is someone who sells fish and seafood. In some countries modern supermarkets are replacing fishmongers who operate in shops or markets. Many fishmongers as well as butchers are a dying breed. With the advent of many economical ways of distributing and packaging food, supermarkets many times opt for less expensive alternatives to these trained, highly skilled professionals. Fishmongers are trained at selecting and purchasing, handling, gutting, boning, filleting, displaying, merchandising and selling their product. In the shakespearan era the word fishmonger was slang, used as an insult. In the famous Hamlet, Hamlet calls Polonius a fishmonger, implying that he is capable to use his daughter on him for Polonius' own benefits. Fishmongers can be broken down into two categories: wholesale and retail.
Fishmongers in culture
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, some contend, the word fishmonger was a euphemism for a pimp [1][2]. It is not known if the pejorative use of fish to refer to penis was also implied by this possible usage. It seems more likely that "fish" would refer here not to the male genitalia, but to the female. In the English translation of the Asterix series, the village fishmonger is called Unhygienix. In the film The Beach the Island's chef, played by Daniel Caltagirone, has only fish as a source of meat, and is named Unhygienix in reference to the Asterix character. Charles Fort in his book Lo! compiles the story of the Mad Fishmonger or "St. Fishmonger", which later appears in the Schrödinger's Cat Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson. St. Fishmonger allegedly caused crabs and periwinkles to fall from the sky. In many countries, the fishwife was proverbial for her sharp tongue and outspoken speech. In Medieval France, the ones in Paris were known for their special privilege of being able to speak frankly to the King himself, when he ventured into the marketplace, and voice criticism without fear of punishment.
Famous fishmongers
- Katie Lee Joel, host of Top Chef
- Lydia Morales, contestant on Survivor: Guatemala
- Molly Malone
- Bartolomeo Vanzetti, Italian Anarchist executed in 1927 following a controversial American trial
Jamie Morgon of Bude, Cornwall.
