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
What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses a curiosity about the beauty of language and the delight it brings.
In this quote, Shakespeare reflects on the joy and sweetness of language, hinting at the profound effect that words can have on people. The rhetorical question suggests an appreciation for the beauty of speech and the anticipation of communication that is both welcoming and pleasing, emphasizing the significance of words in human connection.
Themes
LanguageBeautyCommunicationDelightWords
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the power of communication, one might quote Shakespeare to emphasize the beauty of language.
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