All that glitters is not gold
All that glitters is not gold means that something attractive or impressive may not be as good as it seems; the familiar warning appears in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, though the proverb is older than the play.
Where it comes from
The gold casket
The warning appears in Shakespeare’s play with an older word for glittering. It is part of a test that separates outward show from sound judgment.
In The Merchant of Venice, the Prince of Morocco chooses the gold casket, hoping to win Portia. Inside he finds a skull and a written warning rather than her portrait.
In The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
What it means now
Today the phrase warns against judging by looks, charm, wealth, or impressive promises. It means that some attractive things disappoint, not that everything attractive is worthless.
In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is charmed by Wickham and accepts his account of Darcy. Darcy’s letter later gives her reasons to question Wickham’s appealing manner and story.
In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
How to use All that glitters is not gold
- Use it when an appealing appearance may hide a drawback.
- Explain what needs checking beneath the surface.
- Avoid treating it as proof that every attractive thing is bad.
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Does it mean that nothing beautiful is valuable?
No, it means that beauty or polish alone cannot prove value. Something attractive may be genuinely good, but its appearance is not enough evidence. The warning asks for a closer look, rather than automatic distrust.
Did Shakespeare invent the saying?
No, the proverb is older than Shakespeare, although The Merchant of Venice helped make it familiar. The play uses an older word for glittering in the warning found inside the gold casket. The modern wording keeps the same meaning.
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