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“Heart of glass” means being easily influenced or hurt, especially in romantic situations. It is a common idiom in American English, used in music and film. The origin is unknown, but the fragility of glass and the human heart are similar. A person with a glass heart is emotionally fragile and needs special treatment.
Having a heart of glass means being very easily influenced by something or someone. Often, this idiom is used to describe a romantic heart that is easily hurt or broken. A person with a glass heart is generally viewed by others as extremely sensitive and emotionally fragile.
English sayings like this have been used for generations. Such idiomatic expressions are commonly understood and, therefore, are part of everyday American English. They are so common, in fact, that their meanings or origins are rarely ever questioned. While some who are not used to using or hearing idioms like these may be led to believe that a literal heart made of glass is being referred to, this is not the case at all.
It’s not unusual for common sayings like these to be used in popular music and film offerings. An example is the song called Heart of Glass popularized by the American musical group Blondie. The song, which topped the US and UK music charts in the late 1970s, tells the story of a person who thought true love had been found, only to be very disappointed in the end.
Heart of Glass was also the title of a 1976 film directed by Werner Herzog. In this case, however, the meaning of this phrase may not be exactly the same as in the American usage. Instead, it refers to the storyline about secret glassblowing methods that were lost when a foreman at a glassblowing plant died. The film’s title, however, may be a double entendre, as the foreman lived in a town famous for producing a special type of glass, known as “ruby glass.” Due to the death of the foreman, the city’s economy suffered greatly.
A person who has a glass heart is usually easily hurt by others. This person is known to be very emotionally fragile and often needs special treatment to avoid giving offense. A similar expression that may apply to a person with a heart of glass includes a person who wears her heart on their sleeve.
It is not immediately known where the idiom originated from. The similarities between human emotion and glass, however, aren’t hard to imagine. For example, glassware is usually fragile and requires special handling. Likewise, the human heart often exists, particularly in romantic love situations. Both can be easily broken if not handled with special care.
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