Shakespeare on Beggary of Poor in Spirit
on Thursday, June 6, 2013William Shakespeare in This King John quote emphasizes our discontent at both wealth and poverty, while focusing on finances at either end of the money spectrum. William Shakespeare said:
“Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail, And say there is no sin but to be rich; And being rich, my virtue then shall be To say there is no vice but beggary” — William Shakespeare
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In this quote, William Shakespeare is putting words into the mouth of a character who is a beggar. The beggar states that while they are poor, they will complain about the unfairness of the system and say that the only sin is to be wealthy. But if they were to become rich, their new “virtue” or view would be that the only vice is poverty.
The best interpretation is that Shakespeare is highlighting the hypocrisy of how views can change depending on one’s own economic circumstances. Whether poor or rich, the character implies they will rail against the status that is opposite to their own.
The underlying message seems to be that judgments about wealth and poverty can be self-serving and lack objectivity, dependent on whether one stands to gain or lose from the system being criticized.
Birthday April 23, 1564 – Died April 23, 1616