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
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock The meat it feeds on.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Jealousy is a destructive emotion that can lead to one's own suffering.
In this quote from Shakespeare, jealousy is personified as a 'green-eyed monster' that not only maliciously mocks those who harbor it but also feeds off the insecurities of its victim. The quote serves as a cautionary warning about the dangers of jealousy, suggesting that it can devour a person's peace of mind and happiness, turning them into a mere shadow of themselves as they are consumed by envy.
Themes
JealousyEmotionDestructionSelf-ReflectionPersonification
In practice
Example use cases
During a relationship seminar, one might quote this to discuss the negative impacts of jealousy on relationships.
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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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