William Hazlitt's On The Want Of Money

Throughout the entire course of history, money has defined the lives, happiness, and statues of many individuals. Examples of this come from all time periods as they range from the social separation throughout roaring 1920’s as seen in The Great Gatsby, to today’s wealthy elite in Hollywood. As wealth plays a large part in life, it may easily dictate details in everyday actions. Nineteenth century author William Hazlitt, in his essay “On the Want of Money,” defends his position that one cannot live without money through his appeal to pathos—of which it further expanded upon through imagery, illustrations, and utilization of realism. As Hazlitt begins his passage, he begins to describe life as it would be without money. He states that living without money is to “live out of the world.”
When speaking of “your worth,” “your relations,” and “your confidence,” Hazlitt immediately connects his writing to the ideas of readers; this emphasizes Hazlitt’s point of view to his audience. Continuing to close the excerpt, Hazlitt writes using disheartening diction, or devil terms. Stating that one will lose their confidence, have a cold comfort in their home, and grow “crabbed, morose, and querulous, dissatisfied with everyone, but most so with yourself.” These words set a depressing mood, which parallels with Hazlitt’s depressing view of what will come without having money. This mood greatly appeals to readers emotionally as one does not wish to have a life full of unhappiness and loneliness. In an excerpt from “On the Want of Money,” William Hazlitt emphasizes that one cannot live without money. This idea is expressed through his appeal to pathos; further supporting this appeal to pathos, Hazlitt utilizes illustrations, imagery, and realism. As a dark tone was adopted within Hazlitt’s examples of life, it greatly emphasized the importance of looking into one’s emotions to the