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
He makes a July's day short as December.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that someone has the power to make even the most joyous times feel fleeting.
In this quote from Shakespeare, the speaker reflects on the bittersweet nature of love, indicating that the presence of a beloved can transform a day of joy into one of melancholy simply due to their absence. It highlights how deep emotions can distort our perception of time, rendering even the longest days feel short when shadowed by longing or sorrow.
Themes
LoveTimeEmotionAbsenceLonging
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding toast to express how love can make time seem to fly.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes βLove bears it out even to the edge of doom.
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Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
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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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