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
Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' Like the poor cat i' the adage?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote challenges individuals to align their actions with their desires rather than succumbing to fear.
In this passage, Shakespeare prompts introspection about the conflict between aspiration and action. He suggests that true valor is not just in desire but in the courage to act on those desires. By likening inaction to cowardice, he emphasizes that one should not let fear dictate their choices, which leads to a life unfulfilled and dictated by 'I dare not' instead of 'I would.' The reference to 'the poor cat i' the adage' reinforces the idea that caution can lead to missed opportunities.
Themes
CourageFearActionDesireSelf-Esteem
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about overcoming fears and pursuing dreams.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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