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
You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant;_x000D_ _x000D_ But yet you draw not iron, for my heart_x000D_ _x000D_ Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw,_x000D_ _x000D_ And I shall have no power to follow you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the struggle between desire and emotional resilience in the face of a hard-hearted lover.
In this quote from Shakespeare, the speaker addresses their lover's ability to attract them despite their emotional distance. The metaphor of drawing iron contrasts the speaker's steadfast heart, symbolizing their reluctance to be drawn in by the lover's power. It highlights the tension between longing and self-control, illustrating the complexities of love where attraction may not lead to submission.
Themes
LoveAttractionResiliencePowerHeart
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion about relationship dynamics in a literature class.
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