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.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes →Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
William ShakespeareRead
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
William ShakespeareRead
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
William ShakespeareRead
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
William ShakespeareRead
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
William ShakespeareRead
Similar quotes
From quiet homes and first beginning, out to the undiscovered ends, there's nothing worth the wear of winning, but laughter and the love of friends.
Hilaire BellocRead
To find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing.
Baltasar GracianRead
Surround yourself with people strong enough to change your mind.
John WoodenRead
No guest is so welcome in a friend's house that he will not become a nuisance after three days.
PlautusRead
Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.
AristotleRead
I hate the giving of the hand unless the whole man accompanies it.
Ralph Waldo EmersonRead