‘White Elephant’, Meaning & Context

The idiom “a white elephant” refers to something one owns that is more of a nuisance than being something of value.  It describes something, either an item or a programme or project that was originally thought to be a good idea or a good purchase but has turned out to be more of a burden, something difficult to get rid of or bring to a stop – something more trouble than it’s worth. One may buy something and then find it unusable, just taking up space, or some government project or some investment that has not come close to being worthwhile.

Origin of “a white elephant”

The term “white elephant” comes from Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand (formerly Siam), where white elephants are sacred and highly revered. This rare animal was believed to bring good luck and a connection to royalty. Because of their sacred status, white elephants cannot be used for commercial or productive purposes, unlike normal elephants, because they are expensive to maintain.

In Thai royal tradition, receiving a white elephant as a gift from the king is both an honor and a curse. Even if the king gives mercy, whoever receives it will suffer. Elephants are sacred and cannot be used for any useful purpose and are very expensive to maintain. Also, the recipient could not sell or give away the elephant, because the king would be angry. Eventually, these gifts become regarded as financial burdens.

In the the 17^th century, “white elephant” initially meant a heavy, unprofitable property or investment that caused more trouble than it was worth. That definition still exists today and is widely applied to everything from unwanted gifts to unsolicited business transactions.

The Shakespeare Connection

The general theme of expensive or heavy gifts in Shakespeare’s plays is similar to the “white elephant” idea. The phrase “white elephant” only entered the English language later so it did not feature in any of Shakespeare’s speeches. However, things that are important but turn out to be problems is evident in many of Shakespeare’s texts.

Although Shakespeare did not use  the idiom “white elephant,” the theme of a heavy or expensive gift is one of the ideas explored by Shakespeare in his plays, such as the unintended effects of desire, wealth and power. For example, in King Lear, Lear’s decision to share his kingdom among his daughters has serious implications, showing how some “gifts” can lead to something completely unwanted.

The Media

The term “white elephant” is often used in the media.

Examples as to how it may be used in newspapers are:

• “New airport turns out to be a white elephant” when it is discovered that it has no easy route to it and therefore can’t be properly used. After the huge expenditure it turns out to be a burden rather than an asset.
• “The government’s investment in the luxury residential complex has become a white elephant, with many units remaining unsold.”

In Advertising, it is often used humorously, for example, the practice of having “white elephant exchanges” where participants exchange things they don’t want.

In social media people often describe things that turn out to have been a waste of time or money as white elephants.

The term “white elephant” has been used in both literature and film, often to describe something that is burdensome, expensive, or impractical. Here are a few notable examples:

In books and movies, “white elephants” often represent unfulfilled desires, costly mistakes, or emotional burdens, showing how things can become more of a responsibility than a value. The term “white elephant” has often been used in literature and film to describe something heavy, expensive, or impractical. Here are some notable examples:

Literature

Ernest Hemingway – “Hills like White Elephants” (1927): This short story by Hemingway uses this word in a figurative sense. The story features a couple discussing abortion, and the “white elephant” is a symbol of the emotional but unspoken burden they share. The hills like “white elephants” expresses the tension of processing something real and problematic, but not spoken.

Mark Twain – “Innocent Abroad” (1869): In this long trip, Twain refers to the French castle as a “white elephant”, describing it as beautiful and expensive, but not most of them are useful. The term satirizes European luxury architecture, which Mark Twain believed was nothing more than vanity.

Film

In the film “The White Elephant,” 2020, the white elephant refers to an abandoned hospital in chaos, which was intended as a great project but ended up as a symbol of failed ambition and neglect. It presents the idea of ​​a large and expensive project that is considered more of a problem than the price warrants.

“The White Elephant” (2009, UK): This short film uses the word metaphorically. The story is about an elderly couple whose house has become a financial burden. The house acts as a “white elephant”, which represents the old value but is now heavy.

In “Citizen Kane” (1941) Kane accumulates a huge number of impractical, useless possessions that weigh him down instead of bringing him joy, which is in line with the “white elephant” concept. His extravagant collection is like a critique of wealth and excess, for expression.

A white elephant