As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Nay, do not think I flatter. For what advancement may I hope from thee, That no revenue hast but thy good spirits To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flattered?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Flattery offers no benefits to the poor, as their true value lies in their spirit rather than material gain.
In this quote, Shakespeare raises a critical question about the nature of flattery and its implications for those who have little to show in terms of wealth or status. He suggests that flattering the poor serves no real purpose, as there is no material advancement to be gained, emphasizing the inherent value of human spirit over economic status and questioning the ethics of insincerely complimenting those who are struggling.
Themes
FlatteryPovertyValueSpiritHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on social justice, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of recognizing the worth of individuals beyond their economic status.
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