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
Tell them, that, to ease them of their griefs, Their fear of hostile strokes, their aches, losses, Their pangs of love, with other incident throes That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of kindness in alleviating the burdens and pains of others during their struggles in life.
In this quote, Shakespeare reflects on the human condition, acknowledging the various forms of suffering that individuals endure—fear, grief, love, and loss. He suggests that through acts of kindness, we can help lighten the load of these burdens, reminding us of our shared vulnerabilities as we navigate the unpredictable journey of life.
Themes
KindnessGriefLifeSufferingSupportHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about community support, one might quote this to highlight the need for compassion.
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Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
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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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Emotions get in the way but they don't pay me to start crying at the loss of 269 lives. They pay me to put some perspective on the situation.
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What I want to talk to you about today is the difference between gifts and choices. Cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy - they’re given after all. Choices can be hard. You can seduce yourself with your gifts if you’re not careful, and if you do, it’ll probably be to the detriment of your choices.
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