The idiom “all that glitters is not gold” means that attractive things aren’t always good, and valuable things aren’t always attractive. Shakespeare’s version appears in The Merchant of Venice, and the theme is echoed in Thomas Gray’s poem and Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. Even SpongeBob SquarePants learns that shiny new things aren’t always better than old loved things.
The common idiom, “all that glitters is not gold,” means that some things that are “glittery”—things often considered attractive or desirable—aren’t necessarily good. Conversely, things that aren’t as attractive can actually be of great value. This idea is present in numerous cultures, but the saying itself is often attributed to Shakespeare. Well known allusions to the bard or the meaning of his words come from Thomas Gray, JRR Tolkien and some unexpected cultural sources.
Like many of Shakespeare’s famous lines, “all that glitters is not gold” is an inaccurate quote. As it appears in The Merchant of Venice, the phrase is “all that glitters is not gold” and is written in a medallion contained in a golden casket. The prince of Morocco, who has been trying to win Portia’s hand, finds and chooses her. Choosing the Golden Chest is an obvious choice and represents a failure on the part of the Prince to recognize that value isn’t only found in the most expensive packs.
Thomas Gray, the 17th century poet, echoes Shakespeare’s sentiments in his poem, On a Favorite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes. As the title suggests, a beloved cat fails to understand that what seems desirable may not be and drowns as he tries to catch fish. The last three lines of the poem are: “Not all that tempts thy magic eyes / And careless hearts is fair prize; / Nor all that glitters with gold”. Like the Moroccan prince, the cat’s tendency to be fascinated by the attractive object – the fish – outweighs its ability to choose more wisely.
Another famous use of this idiom is found in Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. When the hobbits arrive in Bree, they receive a note from Gandalf containing a poetic quotation that begins: “All that is gold does not glitter.” The poem was written by Bilbo and refers to Aragorn, who at first appears to be a dangerous and unbecoming companion.
Tolkien, like Shakespeare, refers to hidden value in things that can often be overlooked, and Aragorn’s journey through The Lord of the Rings certainly proves its worth time and time again. This theme is repeated when Frodo concludes of Aragorn: “I think a servant of the enemy would look prettier and feel dirtier.” The author seems to admonish readers to see and judge with better measures than what appears to the eye.
Sometimes phrases, such as all that glitters are not gold, become so ingrained in a culture that they find expression in unusual places. The SpongeBob SquarePants® episode, All that Glitters provides an interesting example. The protagonist’s spatula breaks and he replaces it with a shiny new one, a choice he begins to regret almost immediately. Luckily, a few days’ stay in an infirmary heals SpongeBob’s original spatula, and he’s very happy to have it back. Even in the world of cartoons, shiny new things aren’t always as good as old loved things.
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