Posts Tagged ‘nathaniel hawthorne’
Nathaniel Hawthorne: Dungheap
on Thursday, December 17, 2020Nathaniel Hawthorne Money Quote saying we can die in many ways and our soul is still extinguished, even when buried with money. Nathaniel Hawthorne said:
“A man’s soul may be buried and perish under a dungheap or in a furrow of the field, just as well as under a pile of money” — Nathaniel Hawthorne
In this quote, Nathaniel Hawthorne seems to be commenting on how single-minded devotion to acquiring wealth risks impoverishing one’s inner spiritual life. By stating that a man’s soul can “perish under a dungheap or in a furrow of the field, just as well as under a pile of money”, Hawthorne implies that obsessively laboring for financial gain without balance can deaden one’s humanity and capacity for deeper fulfillment, just as physically taxing jobs lacking purpose can.
The quote conveys Hawthorne’s perspective that focusing solely on accumulating riches without attention to cultivating one’s mind, values and relationships through life’s varied experiences can impoverish the soul, even amid great wealth. Overall, he appears to be advocating for moderation and multiplicity of interests to avoid becoming diminished in our humanity through any extreme of toil without reward or meaning.
Birthday: July 4, 1804 – Death: May 19, 1864
Nathaniel Hawthorne: Rewards of Writing
on Saturday, August 28, 2010Nathaniel Hawthorne Money quote saying that getting paid is the final of three dividends of writing – from a letter written in 1851.
“The only sensible ends of literature are, first, the pleasurable toil of writing; second, the gratification of one’s family and friends; and lastly, the solid cash” — Nathaniel Hawthorne
In this quote, Nathaniel Hawthorne seems to be providing a tongue-in-cheek perspective on the motivations and rewards of literary work. By listing the “sensible ends” of literature as “the pleasurable toil of writing”, “the gratification of one’s family and friends”, and “lastly, the solid cash”, Hawthorne implies that while the creative process and bringing joy or enrichment to loved ones are truly meaningful goals, financial compensation is still an important practical factor for authors.
The quote conveys Hawthorne’s somewhat sardonic view that as much as literature aims to uplift or edify, the ability to earn a living from one’s writing is also a sensible professional objective. Overall, Hawthorne appears to be acknowledging the interplay between artistic, personal and monetary motivations that drive literary endeavors, with an undercurrent of humor in ranking profit last but acknowledging its necessary role all the same.
Birthday: July 4, 1804 – Death: May 19, 1864