All That Glitters Is Not Gold

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

All that glitters is not gold

The whole world is subdued to the power of gold. All beautiful things are comapred with this precious metal. In this proverb wise men use o ne of the physical features of gold - it glitters, just like some people. Their outer appearance, their clothes, everything that can be seen in the beginning. But do they possess the nobility, a pure soul and intelligence? In most cases o n they just glitter and seek fools who will befriend them or even marry them. They have nothing to do with the purity of gold. But as we know every rule has some exceptions and we can meet nowadays o n the streets people who really glitter like gold, people who posses high moral virtue, combined with beauty.

  This saying can be used for an alluring suggestion - a new well-paid job that requires no efforts from our side, abroad or here. People must have in mind that there malicious swindlers and traders of hope who seek naive young people to cheat them. That`s why think before you make a move.

  In conclusion I must argue in favor of this wise proverb. It reveals us the reality - never trust your first impressions, and the eyes lie, use your mind and soul to determine whether something is right or wrong.

For a better understanding of this quote, we must understand who the message was intended for. When Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice, the year was 1558- right at the beginning of the Elizabethan Era. Queen Elizabeth rein succeeded from 1558 to 1603, a period often considered as the golden age. A period where new and radical ideas came about and England's influence increased worldwide. This era was associated with faux gold where everything that could possibly be leafed in gold was. The idea behind gold leafing was to symbolize the idea of utopia- where Queen Elizabeth pushed towards efforts to create a better and perfect society. So to say "not that that glister is not gold" is a theme Shakespeare's audience could have coincided with in society...