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
Why, this hath not a finger's dignity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the idea that some things are too trivial or lack worth.
In this quote, Shakespeare implies that certain actions or objects are devoid of significance and fail to hold any dignity or value. It suggests a critical view on how we can become attached to things that should, in fact, be seen as inconsequential or lacking in true worth.
Themes
DignityWorthTrivialitySignificancePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about what to value in life, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of not focusing on trivial matters.
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