As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream: The Genius and the mortal instruments Are then in council; and the state of man, Like to a little kingdom, suffers then The nature of an insurrection.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the turmoil between action and thought during a moment of crisis.
In this quote, Shakespeare explores the mental struggle one experiences before taking a significant action, especially regarding moral dilemmas. It suggests that the mind is occupied with fear and uncertainty, akin to being caught in a nightmarish state, as one contemplates the consequences of their decisions and the internal conflicts that arise, likening it to a kingdom on the brink of revolt, where disorder reigns before an action is taken.
Themes
CrisisDecisionTurmoilConflictAction
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about moral dilemmas faced by leaders.
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