William Hazlitt's On The Want Of Money

Combatting the customary opinion that money is the root of all evil, William Hazlitt, the author of “On the Want of Money,” asserts that a life without money is a life not worth living. It would seem that money is the most important, if not the only, factor that leads to a happy life. In fact, he stresses the uncomfortable encounters that occur while living life with a lack of wealth through stimulating tactics, grim diction, and convincing statements.
Initially, Hazlitt conveys to the audience that his argument is indeed a serious one. He bluntly states that “Literally and truly, one cannot get on well in the world without money.” While spiritual and intrinsic factors are often accounted for while measuring happiness, Hazlitt confirms that in reality, a person cannot be content without money. Despite the truthful and convincing tone, this is not the only method Hazlitt uses to convey his pessimistic message to the readers. Through his grim, menacing, and alarming word-choice, he notes that those …show more content…
The power of a single-sentence format cannot be underestimated, as he uses it to release a constant flow of negativity on his audience and persuade them to believe that a happy life can only be derived through wealth in the real world, countering any falsehoods of emotional happiness, or other indiscernible factors that are often discussed in fairy-tales or cliché adages.
In conclusion, Hazlitt confidently maintained his stance relating to the terrors of living in poverty by his serious, dark, and ruthless diction, along with his effective timing and grouping of descriptions and phrases. Forcing the audience to question their current habits and modify them to avoid the horrifying life that comes with being poor, Hazlitt encourages the readers to join the chase, or the “want of money.” Ultimately, the audience’s emotions were attacked, convincing them that a poor lifestyle is one to avoid at all