Alms Quote by William Shakespeare
“Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back Wherein he puts alms for oblivion, A great-sized monster of ingratitudes: Those scraps are good deeds past, which are devour'd As fast as they are made, forgot as soon as done.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2, William Shakespeare, 1603
Time erodes good deeds quickly; gratitude fades as deeds are forgotten soon after they are done.
In simple terms: Good deeds are quickly forgotten.
Key Takeaway
Remember and honor past kindnesses.
Themes
mortality
memory
gratitude
impermanence
legacy
Mood
reflective
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- teaching moments
- historical analysis
- ethical discussions
Key Concepts
temporal decay
human forgetfulness
ethical legacy
Questions to Reflect On
- What actions can we take to ensure good deeds are remembered?
- How does memory shape moral responsibility?
A Different Perspective
It may overstate the speed of forgetting and ignore lasting impacts.
![“Give a drink of water as alms to the birds which go forth at morning, and deem that they have a better right than men [to thy charity]. For their race brings not harm upon thee in any wise, when thou fearest it from thine own race.” quote by Al-Maʿarri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/915/al-ma-arri-47224_alms_give-a-drink-of-water-as-alms-to-the-bir_171746.jpg)
