His was the scorn which thinks it not worth the while to be scornful. Those he most scorned, never knew it.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Melville describes a form of disdain that does not express itself openly. The most scornful person may not show their feelings, so the target never knows.
- In plain terms
- True scorn sometimes means not showing it, so the person scorned never realizes.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize that contempt can be silent and go unnoticed by its target.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we show contempt without words?
- Does silence mean acceptance?
Another view
Silent scorn can be more damaging because it cannot be addressed directly.
More from Herman Melville
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Permalink to quote #34 Say what some poets will, Nature is not so much her own ever-sweet interpreter, as the mere supplier of that cunning alphabet, whereby selecting and combining …
Permalink to quote #36 Silence is the general consecration of the universe. Silence is the invisible laying on of the Divine Pontiff's hands upon the world. Silence is at once the mo…
Permalink to quote #33
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