Apes Quote by Ben Jonson
“Apes are apes, though clothed in scarlet.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Volpone, 1606
The line likens apes in clothing to superficial appearances, suggesting true nature remains unchanged despite outward adornment.
In simple terms: Clothing does not change nature.
Key Takeaway
Do not judge by appearance alone.
Themes
appearance
identity
superficiality
Mood
critical
observational
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- fashion commentary
- social critique
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
social perception
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we see beyond appearances?
- What does this say about societal masks?
A Different Perspective
Surface changes cannot hide intrinsic traits.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
