--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who despises life is his life's master." description: "\"He who despises life is his life's master.\" — Pierre Corneille" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/pierre-corneille-2033_despise_he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-maste_1044555.jpg" --- # He who despises life is his life's master. ![“He who despises life is his life's master.” quote by Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/pierre-corneille-2033_despise_he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-maste_1044555.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/pierre-corneille-2033_despise_he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-maste_1044555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/pierre-corneille-2033_despise_he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-maste_1044555.jpg) > “He who despises life is his life's master.” [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despairing of life gives one power over it, but also isolates you. **In simple terms:** Hating life makes you its master, yet lonely. Key Takeaway Avoid despair, seek purpose. Themes existential philosophical psychology Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal crises - mental health counseling - philosophical debates - literary analysis Key Concepts Freedom self‑mastery nihilism Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How does despair affect your choices? A Different Perspective Despair can lead to inaction and loss of connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Stoicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stoicism/) ## Related quotes > [If the world despises a hypocrite, what must they think of him in heaven?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-the-world-despises-a-hypocrite-what-must-they-think-of-him-in/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Who despises all that is despicable is made to be impressed with all that is grand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/who-despises-all-that-is-despicable-is-made-to-be-impressed-with-all/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [For so remarkably perverse is the nature of man that he despises whoever courts him, and admires whoever will not bend before him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/for-so-remarkably-perverse-is-the-nature-of-man-that-he-despises/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [When one is young, one venerates and despises without that art of nuances which constitutes the best gain of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/when-one-is-young-one-venerates-and-despises-without-that-art-of-2/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [ He despises what he sought; and he seeks that which he lately threw away. \[Lat., Quod petit spernit, repetit quod nuper omisit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-despises-what-he-sought-and-he-seeks-that-which-he-lately-threw/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Because the European does not know his own unconscious, he does not understand the East and projects it into everything he fears and despises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/because-the-european-does-not-know-his-own-unconscious-he-does-not/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [An elegant woman is a woman who despises you and has no hair under her arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/an-elegant-woman-is-a-woman-who-despises-you-and-has-no-hair-under/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [Languages are no more than the keys of Sciences. He who despises one, slights the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/languages-are-no-more-than-the-keys-of-sciences-he-who-despises-one/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The pretty fellows you speak of, I own entertain me sometimes, but is it impossible to be diverted with what one despises? I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/the-pretty-fellows-you-speak-of-i-own-entertain-me-sometimes-but-is/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [Foolish the doctor who despises the knowledge acquired by the ancients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/foolish-the-doctor-who-despises-the-knowledge-acquired-by-the-ancients/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Even the world, that despises simplicity, does not profess to approve of duplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/even-the-world-that-despises-simplicity-does-not-profess-to-approve/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Anna despises two classes of people: first, those who own their own homes and have cars and families, and second, everybody else. Constantly she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/anna-despises-two-classes-of-people-first-those-who-own-their-own/) [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) > [Try to compare what you live to the life I master. See the fly shit I wear, you try to rock it after. Big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/try-to-compare-what-you-live-to-the-life-i-master-see-the-fly-shit-i/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [If you will take it into your mind to be sincere in throwing away your life for your master, you will not have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torii-mototada/if-you-will-take-it-into-your-mind-to-be-sincere-in-throwing-away/) [Torii Mototada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torii-mototada/) > [Take responsibility for your finances or get used to taking orders for the rest of your life. You're either a master of money or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/take-responsibility-for-your-finances-or-get-used-to-taking-orders/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) ## More by Pierre Corneille > [Sir, what does it matter whom I serve, so long as I am right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/sir-what-does-it-matter-whom-i-serve-so-long-as-i-am-right/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-allows-himself-to-be-insulted-deserves-to-be/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [Flee an enemy who knows your weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/flee-an-enemy-who-knows-your-weakness/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [Such is the caprice of Romans... who reject kings in name but not in practice, and accept an Emperor mightier than a hundred kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/such-is-the-caprice-of-romans-who-reject-kings-in-name-but-not-in/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [To take revenge halfheartedly is to court disaster; either condemn or crown your hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/to-take-revenge-halfheartedly-is-to-court-disaster-either-condemn-or/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [They who overcome their desires once can overcome them always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/they-who-overcome-their-desires-once-can-overcome-them-always/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [ By speaking of our misfortunes we often relieve them. \[Fr., A raconter ses maux souvent on les soulage.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/by-speaking-of-our-misfortunes-we-often-relieve-them-fr-a-raconter/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [Self-love is the source of all our other loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/self-love-is-the-source-of-all-our-other-loves/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [As our self-interests differ, so do our feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/as-our-self-interests-differ-so-do-our-feelings/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [I don't know how to defend myself: surprised innocence cannot imagine being under suspicion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/i-don-t-know-how-to-defend-myself-surprised-innocence-cannot-imagine/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [He who allows me to rule is in fact my master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-allows-me-to-rule-is-in-fact-my-master/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [All great virtues become great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/all-great-virtues-become-great-men/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [He who forgives readily only invites offense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-forgives-readily-only-invites-offense/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [For souls nobly born, valor doesn't await the passing of years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/for-souls-nobly-born-valor-doesn-t-await-the-passing-of-years/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [It is the gift of heaven and not of reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/it-is-the-gift-of-heaven-and-not-of-reason/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) [Explore all 181 Pierre Corneille quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) ## More Despise quotes > [My whole life has conspired to bring me to this place, and I can’t despise my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/my-whole-life-has-conspired-to-bring-me-to-this-place-and-i-can-t/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“You don’t know what it’s like to worry you’ll start to despise the people who help you, the ones you should love, because they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-guzeman/you-don-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-worry-you-ll-start-to-despise-the/) [Tracy Guzeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-guzeman/) > [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Everyone has conscience enough to hate; few have religion enough to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/everyone-has-conscience-enough-to-hate-few-have-religion-enough-to/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I agree that biphobia is real, but I think it's absolutely worth considering that someone who "despises" having sex with her husband - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/i-agree-that-biphobia-is-real-but-i-think-it-s-absolutely-worth/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I despise a person of little mind - one might as well not have any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-dunham-kelley-hawkins/i-despise-a-person-of-little-mind-one-might-as-well-not-have-any/) Emma Dunham Kelley-Hawkins > [I despise computers in many ways. I think they’re hopelessly underevolved and overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-despise-computers-in-many-ways-i-think-they-re-hopelessly/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [With the single exception of Homer, there is no eminent writer, not even Sir Walter Scott, whom I can despise so entirely as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/with-the-single-exception-of-homer-there-is-no-eminent-writer-not/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/i-despise-the-pleasure-of-pleasing-people-that-i-despise/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [It was beautiful and rare, and you have every right to despise me." She stood pressed to the wall, not moving. "When you came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/it-was-beautiful-and-rare-and-you-have-every-right-to-despise-me-she/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I'm really starting to despise good -nights and good -byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mi-juan-yu-tu/i-m-really-starting-to-despise-good-nights-and-good-byes/) Mi Juan Yu tu > [But miserable most, to love unloved? This you should pity rather than despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-miserable-most-to-love-unloved-this-you-should-pity-rather-than/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) Browse all 918 Despise quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He who despises life is his life's master.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre Corneille" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-master/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-master/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/pierre-corneille-2033_despise_he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-maste_1044555.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/pierre-corneille-2033_despise_he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-maste_1044555.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d04/pierre-corneille-2033_despise_he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-maste_1044555.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He who despises life is his life's master.” — Pierre Corneille", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pierre Corneille", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He who despises life is his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-master/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-despises-life-is-his-life-s-master/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```