Salary Is No Object; I Want Only Enough To Keep Body and Soul Apart

“Salary is no object; I want only enough to keep body and soul apart.”

Wit often relies on subversion. A clever writer takes a familiar phrase, twists it, and consequently creates something entirely new. The quote above is a perfect example of this linguistic acrobatics. It transforms a desperate plea for survival into a cynical, humorous observation about life and work.

Most people strive to keep body and soul together. Source This ancient idiom describes the basic struggle for existence. However, the inverted version suggests a desire for distance between one’s physical needs and spiritual self.

The history of this quip is surprisingly complex. While many attribute it to the legendary Dorothy Parker, the joke actually evolved over several centuries. Indeed, tracing its lineage reveals how language shifts from religious devotion to philosophical musing, and finally, to biting satire.

The Origins of the Original Idiom

To understand the joke, we must first understand the cliché. The phrase “keep body and soul together” has existed for hundreds of years. It originally referred to the bare minimum required to stay alive.

In 1677, the religious minister Thomas Gouge used this expression in a devotional text. He wrote about trusting in divine providence. specifically, he argued that God would provide more than just the basics.

According to Gouge, the Source faithful would receive more than what was necessary to “keep body and soul together.” . Instead, they would prosper. Thus, the phrase cemented itself in the English lexicon as a standard descriptor for survival.

For centuries, writers used this idiom earnestly. It appeared in novels, sermons, and letters. It described the poor, the struggling, and the survivors. No one thought to make it a joke. The concept of separating body and soul was too serious. It implied death. Therefore, the phrase remained a somber reflection on mortality and poverty for nearly two hundred years.

A Philosophical Shift in Meaning

Eventually, writers began to play with the concept. In 1876, a contributor to Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine used the inverted phrase. However, they did not intend it as a joke.

Instead, the author discussed literary criticism. They described the difficulty of separating a poem’s meaning from its form. The writer compared this struggle to the effort to “keep body and soul apart.”

Here, “body” represented earthly concerns. Conversely, “soul” represented heavenly understanding. The author wanted to understand the spiritual without the interference of the physical.

This usage was intellectual, not comedic. Yet, it paved the way for future wit. It established that separating the two entities could be a goal rather than a tragedy. Consequently, the stage was set for a humorist to take this concept and run with it.

Israel Zangwill cracks the First Joke

The first true comedic use of this reversal appeared in 1891. Israel Zangwill, a British humorist, published a book titled The Bachelors’ Club. In a chapter titled “Hamlet Up To Date,” he finally flipped the script.

Zangwill’s narrator describes his financial struggles. He works as a journalist but lacks steady employment. Nevertheless, he finds a silver lining.

He claims he earns enough to “keep body and soul apart whenever desired.” This is the first documented instance of the phrase serving as a punchline.

The joke works on two levels. First, it implies that his income is so low he is near death. Second, it suggests he prefers to distance his spirit from his physical hunger. Zangwill deserves credit for this innovation. He saw the potential for humor in a phrase previously reserved for grim survival.

Dorothy Parker Takes the Spotlight

Despite Zangwill’s earlier work, Dorothy Parker made the line famous. In 1928, she famously used the phrase in The New Yorker. Parker wrote under the pseudonym “Constant Reader.”

She ended a book review with a playful plea for employment. She asked if anyone knew of a job for a retired reviewer. Then, she delivered the immortal line: “Salary is no object; I want only enough to keep body and soul apart.”

Parker’s version resonated immediately. Her delivery was sharper than Zangwill’s. Furthermore, her persona as a world-weary wit matched the sentiment perfectly.

Readers loved it. Within weeks, other columnists quoted her. Gilbert Swan, writing for The Pittsburgh Press, called it the best line of the week. He praised her clever inversion of the old maxim.

Consequently, the public associated the quote primarily with Parker. Her fame eclipsed the earlier usage. She became the face of this particular witticism, cementing her reputation as one of America’s sharpest tongues.

The Joke Spreads Through Literary Circles

Once Parker popularized the phrase, it spread rapidly. Other writers began to adopt it. In 1929, Alexander Woollcott profiled the playwright George S. Kaufman.

Woollcott described Kaufman’s early days in the newspaper business. He noted that Kaufman kept his job even after his plays became successful. Woollcott wrote that this job kept Kaufman’s “body and soul apart” by a narrow margin.

It is unclear if Woollcott was quoting Parker intentionally. Perhaps the phrase had simply entered the zeitgeist. Regardless, the literary elite of New York had embraced the joke.

It became a shorthand for the struggling artist’s condition. It signified a rejection of materialism. Moreover, it highlighted the absurd difficulty of making a living through art.

The Oscar Wilde Myth

Interestingly, the quote’s history contains some confusion. Decades later, people began attributing the sentiment to Oscar Wilde. In 1981, the poet Seamus Heaney gave an interview to The Boston Globe.

Heaney asked the interviewer if they knew Wilde’s saying. He claimed Wilde drank to “keep body and soul apart.” This version adds an element of intoxication to the separation.

However, scholars have found no evidence for this attribution. Wilde wrote many witty things. Yet, this particular phrase does not appear in his known works.

It seems likely that Heaney misremembered. perhaps he conflated Wilde’s lifestyle with Parker’s famous quip. This misattribution demonstrates how good quotes often gravitate toward famous figures. We want Wilde to have said it because it sounds like him. Nevertheless, the credit belongs to Zangwill and Parker.

Why the Joke Endures

This quote remains popular because it captures a universal feeling. We all experience moments where physical needs clash with spiritual desires. Work often feels like a tether to the material world.

The inversion offers a release. It suggests that poverty—or at least a lack of obsession with wealth—might offer freedom. By rejecting the need to keep body and soul “together,” the speaker claims a higher priority.

Furthermore, the linguistic trick delights the brain. We expect the cliché. When the writer subverts it, we experience a spark of recognition and surprise.

In conclusion, while Dorothy Parker made it iconic, the journey of this phrase is a team effort. Thomas Gouge provided the raw material. An anonymous critic provided the philosophical bridge. Israel Zangwill cracked the first joke. Finally, Parker polished it to a shine. Together, they gave us a perfect way to express our disdain for the daily grind.

Quote Me, maybe?

the quote G.O.A.T.