Speaking

Speaking

“Tell him too much money has killed men and left them dead years before burial:”

These are the lines you have just read from the poem.

Given below is a well-known quotation.

“Cowards die many times before their death”.

Study the quotations and identify the adverse human qualities that are worse than ‘death’ and discuss the underlying message conveyed.

Few adverse human qualities

• Dishonest

• Selfish

• Mean

• Arrogant

• Rude

• Cruel

• Close minded

• Hypocratic

• Greedy

• Cowardly 

The proverb can be explained that a coward is afraid of anything and everything. However a brave person is not afraid of any dangers and perils. This statement is found in Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar', Caesar stated that cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant would never taste death but once. Cowards fear for one or the other reason. A coward runs away from any danger. It is built in a person from childhood. Such persons normally seek others help to get their work done. A brave person on the other hand faces any danger without fear and faces it boldly. Fearlessness is a characteristic quality of a great hero. The proverb thus signifies that cowards die many times as they are so scared. We should imbibe in young children from childhood to be brave and bold and not be cowards. Such brave persons are valued in society and have high regards and reach great heights and positions in life.

Read the summary of the extract.

He teaches him to think before he acts, restrain from taking rash decisions, keep his thoughts to himself and treat people with respect and equality. He advises him to keep his old friends, however be careful about making new acquaintances. He should be slow to fight but fight boldly if the need arises; he should listen more than talk; he should dress richly. Moreover he should be careful about borrowing and lending money and above all be true to himself. He advises him how to behave with integrity and practicality. While all the advice is good, the best doesn’t come until the end- “To thine own self be true.” Be a man of honour and integrity. Live life in a way that allows you to look at yourself in the mirror and not be ashamed.

Parallel Reading

William Shakespeare’s words speak across generations and cultures.

In the play Hamlet, Polonius gives a bit of fatherly advice to his son Laertes before he heads off to France.

Now read and enjoy the richness of Shakespearean style.

When Polonius came to bid his son goodbye

Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame!

The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,

And you are stay’d for. There; my blessing with thee!

And these few precepts in thy memory

See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,

Nor any unproportioned thought his act.

Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.

Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,

Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;

But do not dull thy palm with entertainment

Of each new-hatch’d, unfledged comrade. Beware

Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,

Bear’t that the opposed may beware of thee.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;

Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;

For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

And they in France of the best rank and station

Are of a most select and generous chief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine ownself be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!