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
Blow, blow, thou winter wind, Thou art not so unkind As mans ingratitude Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh-ho sing, heigh-ho unto the green holly Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly. Then heigh-ho the holly This life is most jolly. Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As friend rememberd not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the nature of ingratitude in friendships and how it can be more painful than harsh elements of nature.
In this excerpt, Shakespeare contrasts the harshness of winter with the painful reality of human ingratitude. He suggests that while external hardships can be severe, they pale in comparison to the emotional hurt caused by friends who forget or fail to appreciate us. The poet calls for a celebration of true friendship, which, unlike the cruelty of nature, can bring joy and warmth to our lives.
Themes
FriendshipIngratitudeNatureEmotionJoy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the value of true friendship, one might reference this quote to illustrate the pain caused by ingratitude.
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