Where Does the Phrase Brave New World Come From?
The phrase brave new world comes from William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, written around 1610 to 1611. Miranda, who has grown up on a remote island seeing almost no other people, sees a group of men for the first time and exclaims in wonder at the brave new world that has such people in it.
Aldous Huxley borrowed the phrase for his 1932 novel, and through the novel it became a common, often ironic way of describing a new era or invention.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Origin | The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Act 5, Scene 1 |
| Who says it | Miranda, daughter of the magician Prospero |
| What brave meant | Splendid, fine, beautiful |
| Original tone | Sincere wonder, with an ironic edge |
| In Huxley's novel | Quoted by John the Savage |
| Today | A new era or technology, often used ironically |
What does the phrase mean in The Tempest?
In The Tempest, the magician Prospero lives on an island with his daughter Miranda, who has seen almost no other humans. Near the end of the play she sees the shipwrecked king and his courtiers and is amazed at how many fine-looking people there are, crying out at this brave new world. In Shakespeare's time brave meant splendid or fine. The moment is touching but ironic, since some of the men she admires have behaved very badly. Prospero gently replies that it is new to her.
↑ Back to the topHow does Huxley use the phrase?
John the Savage, who learned to read from a copy of Shakespeare, repeats Miranda's line when Bernard offers to take him to London. He imagines the World State as a place of beauty and wonder. Once he sees it, with its identical workers, drugs and shallow pleasures, he repeats the phrase again with bitterness. The title captures the whole novel: a future that looks perfect but is empty.
↑ Back to the topWhat does brave new world mean today?
Today the phrase describes a new age or development, usually one that brings both promise and danger, such as artificial intelligence or genetic engineering. It is often used with a note of irony, thanks to Huxley's novel. It has also inspired many titles, from the Iron Maiden album of 2000 to the 2025 Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World.
↑ Back to the topMore about Brave New World
Written by Tori Books for readers and students.