"Maids want nothing but husbands, and when they have them, they want everything"

William Shakespeare’s observation addresses the shifting desires and expectations in human relationships, particularly in marriage. He captures a timeless truth about longing and fulfillment through the lens of maids, young, unmarried women, in pursuit of husbands. The statement points to an initial singularity of purpose: before marriage, the focus is entirely on securing a partner, with all hopes and aspirations tied to that outcome. The language suggests that, prior to marriage, women may perceive matrimony as the ultimate goal, perhaps imbued with idealistic notions of love, security, or social status.

Yet, Shakespeare deftly highlights the transformation that occurs once marriage is attained. The desire no longer remains singular or straightforward. The woman, having concluded the quest for a husband, now widens her expectations, seeking fulfillment in a multitude of ways, affection, understanding, material comfort, companionship, respect, and perhaps influence within the household. The pursuit of “everything” hints at the complexity of human needs; happiness is never static, and our aspirations often grow as our circumstances change. The achievement of one desire exposes others that might have seemed trivial or invisible in its shadow.

There is a subtle commentary on the paradox of satisfaction, suggesting that people often fixate on a single missing element, believing that acquiring it will bring contentment. However, once attained, it rarely completes the picture as imagined. Instead, new wants emerge, revealing the restless and adaptive nature of human longing. While the line speaks of women in Shakespeare’s time, it reflects a broader, universal human tendency. The pattern of wanting, achieving, and then wanting more is as old as humanity itself. Shakespeare’s wit exposes the ironic cycle of yearning and fulfillment, inviting readers to reflect on their own shifting pursuits, and perhaps to find wisdom in recognizing the elusive nature of satisfaction.