--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: O, this life Is nobler than attending for…" description: "\"O, this life Is nobler than attending for a check, Richer than doing nothing for a robe, Prouder than rustling in unpaid-for silk: Such pain the cap of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/william-shakespeare-4_attending_o-this-life-is-nobler-than-attending-for_1520687.jpg" --- # O, this life Is nobler than attending for a check, Richer… ![“O, this life Is nobler than attending for a check, Richer than doing nothing for a robe, Prouder than rustling in unpaid-for silk: Such pain the cap of him that makes him fine Yet keeps his book uncrossed.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/william-shakespeare-4_attending_o-this-life-is-nobler-than-attending-for_1520687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/william-shakespeare-4_attending_o-this-life-is-nobler-than-attending-for_1520687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/william-shakespeare-4_attending_o-this-life-is-nobler-than-attending-for_1520687.jpg) > “O, this life Is nobler than attending for a check, Richer than doing nothing for a robe, Prouder than rustling in unpaid-for silk: Such pain the cap of him that makes him fine Yet keeps his book uncrossed.” [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. The speaker praises a life richer than mere duty, valuing pride and the unblemished record of personal effort despite hardship. **In simple terms:** Life's worth lies in pride and untainted effort, not just duty. Key Takeaway Seek pride and integrity over mere obligation. Themes pride integrity human struggle Mood philosophical inspirational Type literary reflective When to use this quote - career choices - ethical decisions - artistic creation Key Concepts existential value personal honor Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to live a noble life? - When is pride more important than duty? A Different Perspective May idealize struggle, ignoring necessary compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attending/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Caps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caps/) [Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks/) [Doing nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-nothing/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life Nobler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-nobler-1894051/) [Nobler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobler-441058/) [Nobler Attending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobler-attending-5620310/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Robes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robes/) [Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silk/) [Silk Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silk-pain-5620311/) [This life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-life/) [Unpaid Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpaid-silk-5620312/) ## Related quotes > [I no longer desire happiness: life is nobler than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-no-longer-desire-happiness-life-is-nobler-than-that/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I am certainly not a martyr kind of a person. I love my life. But if one has to, then there is nothing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asma-jahangir/i-am-certainly-not-a-martyr-kind-of-a-person-i-love-my-life-but-if/) [Asma Jahangir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asma-jahangir/) > [“Generosity creates the higher life. There is no nobler virtue than the care one person shows to another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/generosity-creates-the-higher-life-there-is-no-nobler-virtue-than-the/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [Kindness nobler ever than revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/kindness-nobler-ever-than-revenge/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/what-nobler-employment-or-more-valuable-to-the-state-than-that-of-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-nobler-sort-of-man-emphasizes-the-good-qualities-in-others-and/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is no nobler deed than the performance of one's duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-smith/there-is-no-nobler-deed-than-the-performance-of-one-s-duty/) [Len Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-smith/) > [What can be nobler than the idea it gives us of the Supreme Being?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/what-can-be-nobler-than-the-idea-it-gives-us-of-the-supreme-being/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is nothing nobler than risking your life for your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lampson/there-is-nothing-nobler-than-risking-your-life-for-your-country/) [Nick Lampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lampson/) > [Order and system are nobler things than power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/order-and-system-are-nobler-things-than-power/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [No man is nobler born than another, unless he is born with better abilities and a more amiable disposition. They who make such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/no-man-is-nobler-born-than-another-unless-he-is-born-with-better/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“Learning is nobler than teaching.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/learning-is-nobler-than-teaching/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [A life spent worthily should be measured by a nobler line,-by deeds, not years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/a-life-spent-worthily-should-be-measured-by-a-nobler-line-by-deeds/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [The life of action is nobler than the life of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/the-life-of-action-is-nobler-than-the-life-of-thought/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [It is noble to succeed, but it's nobler still to help the other person to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-noble-to-succeed-but-it-s-nobler-still-to-help-the-other-person/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## 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 Attending quotes > [While I was pregnant, I had dozens of checkups. 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