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
As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the idea that humans may be treated as mere playthings by powerful forces, highlighting the randomness of suffering.
In this poignant quote by William Shakespeare, the imagery of 'flies to wanton boys' illustrates the fragile and capricious nature of human existence in the eyes of the gods. It suggests that just as boys might kill flies for amusement, the concept of divine beings might imply that human life is subjected to the whims of fate or higher powers, posing deep questions about the meaning of suffering and the indifference of the universe to human struggles.
Themes
LifeFateSufferingGodsIndifference
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the meaning of suffering in literature.
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