--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His worst fault is, he's given to prayer…" description: "\"His worst fault is, he's given to prayer; he is something peevish that way.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/762/william-shakespeare-4_atheism_his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer_3188061.jpg" --- # His worst fault is, he's given to prayer; he is something… ![“His worst fault is, he's given to prayer; he is something peevish that way.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/762/william-shakespeare-4_atheism_his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer_3188061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/762/william-shakespeare-4_atheism_his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer_3188061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/762/william-shakespeare-4_atheism_his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer_3188061.jpg) > “His worst fault is, he's given to prayer; he is something peevish that way.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character’s flaw is his tendency to pray and be petty, showing moral weakness. **In simple terms:** He is both pious and petty. Key Takeaway Recognize and temper contradictory traits. Themes flaw prayer petty morality character Mood reflective critical Type literary character When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - self‑reflection Key Concepts human nature hypocrisy self‑control Questions to Reflect On - What drives the conflict between piety and pettiness? - Can such flaws be redeemed? A Different Perspective The description may oversimplify complex motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ## Related quotes > [“My mother plants her hands on her hips, peevish. “Is that the best welcome you can come up with? Why don’t you come over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-wiess/my-mother-plants-her-hands-on-her-hips-peevish-is-that-the-best/) [Laura Wiess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-wiess/) > [A man that loves to be peevish and paramount, and to play the sovereign at every turn, does but blast the blessings of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-collier/a-man-that-loves-to-be-peevish-and-paramount-and-to-play-the/) [Jeremy Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-collier/) > [God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/god-has-given-us-prayer-as-a-wartime-walkie-talkie-so-that-we-can/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Now the next I will is in John, seventeenth chapter, twenty-fourth verse: “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/now-the-next-i-will-is-in-john-seventeenth-chapter-twenty-fourth/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“No one ought to expect to see much good resulting from his labors in word, and doctrine, if he is not much given to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mueller/no-one-ought-to-expect-to-see-much-good-resulting-from-his-labors-in/) [George Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mueller/) > [“The freshness of my eyes is given to me in prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-freshness-of-my-eyes-is-given-to-me-in-prayer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God-given prayer and praise have as their essence a waiting on God, a willingness to be wrought upon by the hammer and the fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-john-miller/god-given-prayer-and-praise-have-as-their-essence-a-waiting-on-god-a/) C. John Miller > [The mundane use of the Gayatri, its repetition for healing the sick, illustrates the meaning we have given to prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-mundane-use-of-the-gayatri-its-repetition-for-healing-the-sick/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Prayer is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; and when we are afflicted with thorns in the flesh, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/prayer-is-a-salve-for-every-sore-a-remedy-for-every-malady-and-when/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [The Divine wisdom has given us prayer, not as a means whereby to obtain the good things of earth, but as a means whereby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/the-divine-wisdom-has-given-us-prayer-not-as-a-means-whereby-to/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [Best men oft are moulded out of faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/best-men-oft-are-moulded-out-of-faults/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Every man has a bag hanging before him, in which he puts his neighbour's faults, and another behind him in which he stows his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/every-man-has-a-bag-hanging-before-him-in-which-he-puts-his-neighbour/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I will chide no breather in the world but myself, against whom I know most faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-will-chide-no-breather-in-the-world-but-myself-against-whom-i-know/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virtue-his-faults-lie-open-to-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Every man has his fault, and honesty is his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/every-man-has-his-fault-and-honesty-is-his/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "His worst fault is, he's given to prayer; he is something peevish that way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer-he-is-something-peevish-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer-he-is-something-peevish-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/762/william-shakespeare-4_atheism_his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer_3188061.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/762/william-shakespeare-4_atheism_his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer_3188061.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/762/william-shakespeare-4_atheism_his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer_3188061.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“His worst fault is, he's given to prayer; he is something peevish that way.” — William Shakespeare", "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 Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "His worst fault is, he's given...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer-he-is-something-peevish-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/his-worst-fault-is-he-s-given-to-prayer-he-is-something-peevish-that/#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 } } ] } ```