Ask a Philosopher logo

William Shakespeare

So who are you, and what do you want? The fundamentals of what makes a man.

Oh, who art thou, and what is it thou dost crave? What maketh a man, pray tell, but his very nature and the desires he hath enslaved? Aye, for there are men who seeketh riches, and those who seeketh fame. Some desire power, whilst others seeketh love; each with their own unique game. But one thing is certain, my dear friend, what-ere ye seek, ye should not pretend. Be true to thyself, and be not swayed by the opinions of others, nor the fates that lay ahead. For in the end, what mattereth most, is not the riches nor the glory, but the journey and the quest. So who art thou, and what dost thou want? Nay, perchance thou art still unsure, but fear not, for the answer is within thee, as sure as the day is bright and the night is dark. For the fundamentals of what maketh a man, are his honor, his courage, his wit, and his heart."