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
But, indeed, words are very rascals, since bonds [vows] disgraced them." Viola: "Thy reason, man?" Feste: "Troth [Truthfully], sir, I can yield you none without words, and words are grown so false, I am loathe to prove reason with them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Words can be misleading and unreliable, making it difficult to convey truth.
In this quote, Feste reflects on the idea that words have lost their integrity and authenticity, suggesting that they can be deceptive and fail to represent reality. Shakespeare explores the theme of communication and the challenges of finding genuine expression in a world where meanings can be obscured by falsehoods, highlighting the fragility of human expression and understanding.
Themes
WordsTruthDeceptionCommunicationMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the reliability of testimonials, this quote can be used to emphasize the potential for miscommunication.
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