A ruffian is an unethical individual who dedicates himself to crime.
Rufián is a term whose etymological origin is not clear since there are multiple versions of it. It is generally accepted that it comes from ruffiano , an Italian word that would derive from the Latin rufus . This Latin word, for its part, referred to blonde or red hair .
What we understand today as a ruffian, in this way, would be linked to the custom of Roman prostitutes of dyeing their hair and wearing wigs. A ruffian is one dedicated to the protection or trafficking of women who practice prostitution.
The ruffian, a criminal
A ruffian, in this sense, would be a pimp . By extension, today the notion is usually used to name a man dedicated to crime or lacking ethics . For example: “I can't understand how people voted for such a ruffian,” “Don't hang out with Ernesto, he's a ruffian,” “When the ruffian entered the house, the young man paralyzed.”
The person who dedicates himself to swindling, cheating or stealing is generally called a ruffian. The ruffian is considered someone who is mean and infamous , who lacks honor . That is why accusing someone of being a ruffian is an offense or an attack.
In general, someone who is mean is mentioned as a ruffian.
The concept in art
The term ruffian appears in the titles of different artistic works. “The ruffian on the stairs” is a play whose original title is “The ruffian on the stair” . It was written by Joe Orton and released in 1964 . It revolves around the figure of a very peculiar marriage, made up of a former prostitute and a hired thug.
“El rufián” , for its part, is an Argentine film directed by Daniel Tinayre . This film , which hit theaters in 1961 , was inspired by real events that occurred on French soil during the '50s .
Carlos Estrada, Egle Martin yOscar Rovito fueron los actores que encabezaron el elenco de este largometraje que cuenta cómo un hombre descubre que su esposa le es infiel con el chófer. Por eso, no duda en asesinar a este, lo que le lleva a ser condenado a pena de cárcel. Cuando sale de prisión, decididamente se dirige hacia donde sabe que se encuentra su mujer, que ha perdido totalmente la memoria.
In the same way, we must not overlook the existence of the Italian film “The Ruffians” , which premiered in 1965 and was directed by Robert Enrico . Lino Ventura , Bourvil and Marie Dubois were the leading actors in this story, a dramatic comedy that tells how a man inherits a sawmill that is on the verge of bankruptcy, due, among other things, to some inefficient workers. Due to various twists of fate, he hires some prisoners who want to reintegrate, in addition to taking revenge on someone, and who will become the owner's main allies.
Rufián as a surname
We cannot ignore that Rufián is also a surname.
A good example of this is the figure of Gabriel Rufián Romero , who is a Spanish politician who has served as spokesperson for the ERC Group (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya) in the Congress of Deputies and who fights forcefully for the independence of Catalonia .