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
All that glisters is not gold; Often have you heard that told: Many a man his life hath sold But my outside to behold: Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Appearances can be deceiving; true value lies beneath the surface.
This quote from Shakespeare reminds us that not everything that shines or looks attractive is valuable. Often, superficial appearances can mislead us, and we must look deeper to understand the true worth of people and things, as even the most beautiful exteriors can hide decay and emptiness underneath.
Themes
AppearancesDeceptionValueWorthSurface
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about honesty in relationships, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of looking beyond physical attributes.
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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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I like fish, and I also like bear's paws. If I cannot have the two together, I will let the fish go, and take the bear's paws. So, I like life, and I also like righteousness. If I cannot keep the two together, I will let life go, and choose righteousness.
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Freeing oneself from words is liberation.
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Hearing Mass is the ceremony I most favor during my travels. Church is the only place where someone speaks to me and I do not have to answer back.
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The time will come when mankind will begin to get away from the consciousness of needing so many material things. More security and peace will be found in the simple life.
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Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants.
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