---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A beggar hates his benefactor as much as…"
description: "\"A beggar hates his benefactor as much as he hates himself for begging.\" — Oscar Wilde"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/oscar-wilde-16_beggar_a-beggar-hates-his-benefactor-as-much-as_1366484.jpg"
---

#  A beggar hates his benefactor as much as he hates himself…

![“A beggar hates his benefactor as much as he hates himself for begging.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/oscar-wilde-16_beggar_a-beggar-hates-his-benefactor-as-much-as_1366484.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/oscar-wilde-16_beggar_a-beggar-hates-his-benefactor-as-much-as_1366484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/oscar-wilde-16_beggar_a-beggar-hates-his-benefactor-as-much-as_1366484.jpg)

> “A beggar hates his benefactor as much as he hates himself for begging.”

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A beggar despises his benefactor as much as he despises himself for needing help.

**In simple terms:** Self‑hatred and resentment toward aid.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the psychological cost of dependence.

Themes

resentment poverty dependency self‑esteem

Mood

bitustrated reflective

Type

ethical social commentary

When to use this quote

- charitable giving
- social welfare programs
- personal counseling
- community support

Key Concepts

social hierarchy psychology power dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does gratitude affect self‑worth?
- Can aid be given without fostering resentment?

A Different Perspective

Benefactor may unintentionally reinforce victimhood.

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[Benefactors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefactors/) [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/)

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> [I account the office of benefactor, or almoner, to which God appoints all those whom he has favored with wealth, one of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/i-account-the-office-of-benefactor-or-almoner-to-which-god-appoints/)

[J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/)

> [People hired by government know who is their benefactor. People who lose their jobs or fail to get them because of the government program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/people-hired-by-government-know-who-is-their-benefactor-people-who/)

[Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/)

> [He is a benefactor of mankind who contracts the great rules of life into the short sentences, that may be easily impressed on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-is-a-benefactor-of-mankind-who-contracts-the-great-rules-of-life/)

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> [When men receive favours from someone they expected to do them ill, they are under a greater obligation to their benefactor...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/when-men-receive-favours-from-someone-they-expected-to-do-them-ill/)

[Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

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> [Would movie moguls release a film portraying Adolph Hitler as a great benefactor of the Jews? Hardly. Would they release a movie if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-wildmon/would-movie-moguls-release-a-film-portraying-adolph-hitler-as-a-great/)

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[Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/)

> [I happen to have the benefit of having a son-in-law who was the former Mr. France and a trainer. I like being his benefactor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-somers/i-happen-to-have-the-benefit-of-having-a-son-in-law-who-was-the/)

[Suzanne Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-somers/)

## More by Oscar Wilde

> [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

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[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/)

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[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

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[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

[Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

## More Beggar quotes

> [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/)

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> [Literary tradition is full of lies about poverty-the jolly beggar, the poor but happy milkmaid, the wholesome diet of porridge, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/literary-tradition-is-full-of-lies-about-poverty-the-jolly-beggar-the/)

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> [“Why remain polite but powerless, in love but a beggar?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/why-remain-polite-but-powerless-in-love-but-a-beggar/)

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> [Beggars fear no rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/beggars-fear-no-rebellion/)

Proverb

> [Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot! A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot. Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again! The beggars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/hurrah-for-revolution-and-more-cannon-shot-a-beggar-upon-horseback/)

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> [Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/nobody-but-a-beggar-chooses-to-depend-chiefly-upon-the-benevolence-of/)

[Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/)

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[Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/)

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> [The bashful beggar has an empty purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cranch-bond/the-bashful-beggar-has-an-empty-purse/)

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> [“A coin is examined, and only after careful deliberation, given to a beggar, whereas a child is flung out into the cosmic brutality without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wessel-zapffe/a-coin-is-examined-and-only-after-careful-deliberation-given-to-a/)

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Browse all 455 Beggar quotes

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