The Emperor Has No Clothes

Meaning

What does The Emperor Has No Clothes mean?

The emperor has no clothes is an idiomatic expression and a popular phrase, coming from the punchline of Hans Christian Andersen’s folktale, titled The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Origin

What's the origin of The Emperor Has No Clothes?

The Emperor’s New Clothes was published along with The Little Mermaid in 1837.

The tale tells the story of two swindlers pulling a fraud on an exhibitionistic emperor, who is obsessed with clothing and fashion by telling him and his court, that they will tailor an outfit that can only be seen by the wise.

This results in nobody admitting that the emperor is in fact naked, up until the very end of the tale, when he is displaying it publically in the streets.

The story ends with a boy suddenly shouting “the emperor has no clothes” and the whole audience bursting out in laughter.

Spread & Usage

How did The Emperor Has No Clothes spread?

The expression has since turned into an idiomatic phrase, said when the veil falls off of an illusion.

It was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2005.

External resources

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