Timon of Athens

What It's About

Timon is a wealthy and generous Athenian nobleman who showers his friends with gifts, loans, and lavish entertainment, refusing all thought of what it costs him. When his fortune finally runs out, he turns to those same friends for help, only to be turned away by every one of them. Disgusted by their ingratitude, Timon abandons Athens and human society altogether, retreating to a cave in the wilderness to curse mankind.

Key Concepts

The play is built around the corrupting power of wealth and the hollowness of friendships bought rather than earned. It contrasts extravagant generosity with cold ingratitude, and traces one man's swing from open-handed trust in humanity to total misanthropy. It is also notable as one of Shakespeare's bleakest and least performed tragedies, with a structure many scholars consider unfinished or unevenly worked over, likely reflecting collaboration with another playwright.

About the Author

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he spent much of his career in London writing for the stage during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.