The Impossibility of a True Selfless Friendship as seen in Shakespeare

Selfless friendships do not exist, the only friendships that will last contently, and without resentment must benefit both parties in some way. If the relationship is parasitic, and only one person involved is benefitting, then eventually there will be resentment and one or both persons involved will opt to end the friendship. In Shakespeare's Timon of Athens, this is most notably seen in the character of Timons, who gives all of his friends gifts and holds feasts for them, but recieves nothing in return when he needs it the most. Eventually, Timon realized his friends were false and lost hope in all mankind, when he was once a very generous, selfless friend. In the same respect, if no one is recieving anything from the friendship, the friendship does not exist. Apemantus' and Timon's relationship appears this way, as they seem to share a bond, but are never friends. Apemantus does not appear to be friends with anyone within the play, because of his belief that friendship should be s elfless. The only true friendship in Timon of Athens is between Timon and Flavius, his steward. Even though Timon calls Flavius selfless, they both recieve physical gifts from each other, and there is no selfless exchange of affection. The wealthy Timon starts out the play talking to a messenger about his friend, Ventidius, having been imprisioned due to outstanding debt. Timon decides to "pay the debt and free him" (line 105, 178). The messenger tells Timon that his "lordship ever binds him" (line 106, 178), and Ventidius will feel obligated to repay Timon for the rest of his life. This, already, is a perfect example of how there is no friendship that can last with only one person being selfish, and the other selfless. There is always an anxiety and... ...ndship. At the beginning of the play, Flavius worked for Timon as a steward, so he was paid for the financial help he gave Timon, but even at the end of the play, when Flavius attempts to be selfless by wanting to be Timon's steward for no pay, and gives Timon money, Timon returns the gift with gold. Flavius is a loyal friend to Timon, and Timon speaks kindly of only Flavius at the end of Timon of Athens, but at no point is either party selfless within the friendship. If friendship, by definition, is selfless, then true friendship does not exist. If one or both parties are completely selfless, and do not benefit from the friendship in any way, then it cannot exist or exist for a significant amount of time without eventual hostility or animosity. But, if there is a trace of selfishness from both friends, then the partnership can be sustained with loyalty and respect.