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
The crown o' the earth doth melt. My lord! O, wither'd is the garland of the war, The soldier's pole is fall'n: young boys and girls Are level now with men; the odds is gone, And there is nothing left remarkable Beneath the visiting moon.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the transient nature of glory and the equality of humanity in the face of overwhelming loss.
In this quote, Shakespeare poignantly describes the devastating effects of war, suggesting that it diminishes all distinctions among people, reducing the once glorious crowns of victory to mere melting wax. The imagery conveys a deep sense of loss and the futility of conflict, as even the valor of soldiers and the innocence of youth are rendered irrelevant in the aftermath of destruction, revealing a profound truth about human existence and the cycle of life under the moon's indifferent gaze.
Themes
WarLossHumanityEqualityTransience
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the consequences of war during a community event.
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