--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who pleases one against his will." description: "\"Who pleases one against his will.\" — William Congreve" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/william-congreve-5161_please_who-pleases-one-against-his-will-2744117_2744117.png" --- # Who pleases one against his will. ![“Who pleases one against his will.” quote by William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/william-congreve-5161_please_who-pleases-one-against-his-will-2744117_2744117.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/william-congreve-5161_please_who-pleases-one-against-his-will-2744117_2744117.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/william-congreve-5161_please_who-pleases-one-against-his-will-2744117_2744117.png) > “Who pleases one against his will.” [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person who enjoys causing distress to others against their will. **In simple terms:** Delighting in others' suffering. Key Takeaway Avoid inflicting pain for personal amusement. Themes morality power empathy manipulation Mood critical reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - bullying - abusive relationships - authoritarian leadership Key Concepts sadism coercion psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do some individuals seek pleasure in others' pain? - How can societies deter sadistic actions? A Different Perspective Such behavior can be socially condemned and lead to isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Pleases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleases/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) ## Related quotes > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [ He \[Moliere\] pleases all the world, but cannot please himself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/he-moliere-pleases-all-the-world-but-cannot-please-himself/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [I abhor crime novels in which the main character can behave however he or she pleases, or do things that normal people do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-abhor-crime-novels-in-which-the-main-character-can-behave-however/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ He \[Moliere\] pleases all the world, but can- not please himself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/he-moliere-pleases-all-the-world-but-can-not-please-himself/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [Prejudice, which sees what it pleases, cannot see what is plain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-thomas-de-vere/prejudice-which-sees-what-it-pleases-cannot-see-what-is-plain/) [Aubrey Thomas de Vere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-thomas-de-vere/) > [It pleases me that people can be interactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/it-pleases-me-that-people-can-be-interactive/) [Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/) > [“If it pleases me, then it is good and I want more; If it displeases me, then it must be destroyed as soon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/if-it-pleases-me-then-it-is-good-and-i-want-more-if-it-displeases-me/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [What is good only because it pleases cannot be pronounced good till it has been found to please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-is-good-only-because-it-pleases-cannot-be-pronounced-good-till/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The more one pleases everybody, the less one pleases profoundly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-more-one-pleases-everybody-the-less-one-pleases-profoundly/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [“But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact pleases You.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/but-i-believe-that-the-desire-to-please-you-does-in-fact-pleases-you/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“The more one pleases generally, the less one pleases profoundly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krister-stendahl/the-more-one-pleases-generally-the-less-one-pleases-profoundly/) [Krister Stendahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krister-stendahl/) > [“I highly recommend cleanliness. It pleases women and annoys men, which are two excellent ways to get on in society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-ross/i-highly-recommend-cleanliness-it-pleases-women-and-annoys-men-which/) [Kate Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-ross/) > [Whatever pleases You is a pure action of karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-guru-granth-sahib/whatever-pleases-you-is-a-pure-action-of-karma/) [Sri Guru Granth Sahib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-guru-granth-sahib/) > [I count something as successful if it pleases the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poonam-dhillon/i-count-something-as-successful-if-it-pleases-the-audience/) [Poonam Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poonam-dhillon/) > [“Indeed, to know is something that pleases talkers and boasters, but to do is that which pleases God. Not”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/indeed-to-know-is-something-that-pleases-talkers-and-boasters-but-to/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) ## More by William Congreve > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [He who closes his ears to the views of others shows little confidence in the integrity of his own views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/he-who-closes-his-ears-to-the-views-of-others-shows-little-confidence/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing, through the overtaking and possessing of a wish discovers the folly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/uncertainty-and-expectation-are-the-joys-of-life-security-is-an/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“One no more owes one's beauty to a lover than one's wit to an echo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/one-no-more-owes-one-s-beauty-to-a-lover-than-one-s-wit-to-an-echo/) [william congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [I confess freely to you, I could never look long upon a monkey, without very mortifying reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/i-confess-freely-to-you-i-could-never-look-long-upon-a-monkey-without/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Marriage is honourable, as you say; and if so, wherefore should Cuckoldom be a Discredit, being deriv'd from so honourable a Root?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/marriage-is-honourable-as-you-say-and-if-so-wherefore-should/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [A wit should no more be sincere, than a woman constant; one argues a decay of parts, as to other of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/a-wit-should-no-more-be-sincere-than-a-woman-constant-one-argues-a/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [They are at the end of the gallery; retired to their tea and scandal, according to their ancient custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/they-are-at-the-end-of-the-gallery-retired-to-their-tea-and-scandal/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There is in true Beauty, as in Courage, somewhat which narrow Souls cannot dare to admire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/there-is-in-true-beauty-as-in-courage-somewhat-which-narrow-souls/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [I am a fool, I know it; and yet, Heaven help me, I'm poor enough to be a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/i-am-a-fool-i-know-it-and-yet-heaven-help-me-i-m-poor-enough-to-be-a/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There is nothing more unbecoming a man of quality than to laugh ... 'tis such a vulgar expression of the passion!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/there-is-nothing-more-unbecoming-a-man-of-quality-than-to-laugh-tis/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Honor is a public enemy, and conscience a domestic, and he that would secure his pleasure, must pay a tribute to one and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/honor-is-a-public-enemy-and-conscience-a-domestic-and-he-that-would/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“True, 'tis an unhappy circumstance of life that love should ever die before us, and that the man so often should outlive the lover.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/true-tis-an-unhappy-circumstance-of-life-that-love-should-ever-die/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Believe it, Men have ever been the same, And all the Golden Age is but a Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/believe-it-men-have-ever-been-the-same-and-all-the-golden-age-is-but/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [She likes herself, yet others hates, For that which in herself she prizes; And while she laughs at them, forgets She is the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/she-likes-herself-yet-others-hates-for-that-which-in-herself-she/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) [Explore all 103 William Congreve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) ## More Please quotes > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I have often wondered how they manage to get return envelopes which miss, by one-quarter of an inch, fitting the blank you are supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/i-have-often-wondered-how-they-manage-to-get-return-envelopes-which/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [Please don't allow anyone to make you feel less than what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/please-don-t-allow-anyone-to-make-you-feel-less-than-what-you-are/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Don't smoke. Don't kill yourselves. Don't maim yourselves. Tell your friends. Please don't smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-eszterhas/don-t-smoke-don-t-kill-yourselves-don-t-maim-yourselves-tell-your/) [Joe Eszterhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-eszterhas/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [Many people expect, just as they did then, "those at the top" to make all their decisions for them: Please get us work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/many-people-expect-just-as-they-did-then-those-at-the-top-to-make-all/) [Wladyslaw Bartoszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/) > [ I walked all around it \[the Guggenheim Bilbao\] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-polidori/i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bilbao-and-couldn-t-find-one/) [Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-polidori/) > [Say to yourself: 'Living essentially to please others is a monumental mistake.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-robinson/say-to-yourself-living-essentially-to-please-others-is-a-monumental/) [George Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-robinson/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) [Browse all 4,029 Please quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Who pleases one against his will.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Congreve" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/who-pleases-one-against-his-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Please" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/who-pleases-one-against-his-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/william-congreve-5161_please_who-pleases-one-against-his-will-2744117_2744117.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/william-congreve-5161_please_who-pleases-one-against-his-will-2744117_2744117.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/william-congreve-5161_please_who-pleases-one-against-his-will-2744117_2744117.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Who pleases one against his will.” — William Congreve", "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": "William Congreve", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Who pleases one against his will.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/who-pleases-one-against-his-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/who-pleases-one-against-his-will/#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 } } ] } ```