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
Conscience doth make cowards of us all.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Conscience can lead to hesitation and fear in the face of action.
This quote from Shakespeare suggests that our moral consciousness can create doubts and fears, preventing us from taking decisive actions. The weight of our conscience often makes us second-guess ourselves, making us more cautious and reluctant to act boldly, as we become acutely aware of potential consequences and moral implications.
Themes
ConscienceCourageFearActionDecisions
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on ethical decision-making, one might reference this quote to emphasize the inner struggles faced when making tough choices.
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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