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
Farewell! a long farewell to all my greatness!
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses a sense of parting from one's own achievements and status.
In this quote, Shakespeare conveys a poignant farewell to personal greatness and the accompanying aspirations. It reflects on the transient nature of success and how one must eventually let go of their achievements, perhaps in the face of mortality or life changes, prompting a contemplation of the impermanence of fame and fortune.
Themes
FarewellGreatnessTransienceSuccessImpermanence
In practice
Example use cases
In a eulogy, one might cite this quote to honor someone's achievements and the impermanence of life.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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