The Question of Whether Flattery Is Good or Bad Essay

Is Flattery Good or Bad?Flattery is a noun that means the act of giving excessive compliments, generally for the purpose of favoring oneself with the subject. Flattery is sometimes used in pick-up lines to attempt to initiate romantic courtship.Flattery often connotes insincerity. It derives from ME. OFr.flaterie (mod.flatterie). Historically, flattery was used as a standard form of discourse, meaning conversation, when addressing a king or queen. During the Renaissance period, it was a common practice among writers to flatter the reigning monarch. For example, Edmund Spenser flattered Queen Elizabeth I in The Faerie Queene or William Shakespeare flattering King James I in Macbeth.Most associations with flattery are negative. Flatterers are sometimes described by pejorative phrases, having a negative or degrading effect, such as suck-up or brown-noser. Negative descriptions of flattery go as far back in history as the bible.There are several synonyms for the word flattery. Several synonyms for flattery include excessive, ingratiating praise, adulation, and blandishment. All these words are used to describe excessive compliments.There are also several antonyms. Antonyms for flattery include belittle, castigate, condemn, criticize, denounce, insult, offend, clash, deface, and spoil.It is also used in famous works of art. As William Shakespeare once said Or whether doth my mind, being crowned with you, Drink up the monarchs plague, this flattery?Or whether shall I say mine eye saith true,And that your love taught it this alchemy,To make of monsters, and things indigest, Such cherubins as your sweet self resemble, Creating every bad a perfect bestAs fast as objects to his beams assemble?O, ?tis the first, tis flattery in my seeing,And my great mind most kingly drinks it upMine eye well knows what with his gust is ?greeing,And to his palate doth prepare the cup.If it be poisoned, ?tis the lesser sin That mine age loves it and doth first begin.The poem in its entirety means that the plague facing the monarch is flattery. He sees flattery and he accepts its challenge. The...

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