Can someone paraphrase this for me: "Experience is a jewel, and it had need be so, for it is often purchased at an infinite rate"
Thanks
2007-11-30 23:37:17 · 10 answers · asked by dontharshmymel 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
"But whatsoever I have merited, either in my mind or in my means, meed, I am sure, I have received none; unless experience is a jewel, and it had need be so, for it is often purchased at an infinite rate, and that hath taught me to say this: 'Love like a shadow flies when substance love pursues; Pursuing that that flies, and flying what pursues.'" --Ford in William Shakespeare's "Merry Wives of Windsor," lines 211:217.
Meaning: experience may be the greatest teacher but it can also be the hardest.
Retrieved from: http://books.google.com/books?id=H1qIKmpNSHoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Merry+Wives+of+windsor+shakespeare&num=50&ei=vntRR6eSM5WGpgK0y43YDQ&ie=ISO-8859-1#PPA95,M1
2007-12-01 02:28:40 · answer #1 · answered by Beach Saint 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Experience is as precious as a jewel because it is what helps us to learn and understand both ourselves, others and the world we live in. To put a price or value on this as one does with gems such as diamonds etc. is impossible as the value is infinite, it is ongoing and limitless and has to be so as experience is a life long process. Imagine if we were all born with experience. How differently would we approach our daily lives and what amazing things we could achieve.
2007-11-30 23:47:11 · answer #2 · answered by lizzie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't confuse the use of Jewel to mean only 'value'. It also means 'expense'. He is saying that everything is an experience, but if we called everything we see and hear 'experience', it would devalue the word. Therefore Bill suggest that true experience should be difficult (expensive, illusive, rare) to abtain. Otherwise it would be as common as sand and valueless.
2007-11-30 23:43:23 · answer #3 · answered by the_mint_sux 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Experience is hard to find and worth a lot like a jewel. It is obtained so much.
2007-12-01 03:04:49 · answer #4 · answered by supermario101091 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, could somebody tell us where Shakespeare said this? What play, poem, etc.? Context is helpful.
2015-06-07 10:15:53 · answer #5 · answered by Matthew 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A modern equivalent might be this:
"Good judgement usually comes from experience. Experience, unfortunately, usually comes from bad judgement."
What we learn through experience is sometimes painful, difficult, and maybe it will cost us something.
2007-12-01 01:51:02 · answer #6 · answered by Patricia D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everything is considered experience and for every mistake you make, you should heed it and try not to make it again for you may get in trouble for it one day
2007-12-01 03:04:21 · answer #7 · answered by Tobie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Experience is valuable and it should be, because some people never stop gaining it (by learning from it).
2007-12-01 03:51:47 · answer #8 · answered by Hector Frodo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
shakespeare ate too many magic mushrooms, dont even try to work it out unless you walk around with your nose to the clouds all day
2007-11-30 23:40:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
You can't buy experience.
2007-12-01 02:21:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋