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
LEONATO Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband. BEATRICE Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be overmastered with a pierce of valiant dust? to make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl? No, uncle, I'll none: Adam's sons are my brethren; and, truly, I hold it a sin to match in my kindred.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Beatrice expresses her disdain for marrying men who are flawed and earthly, suggesting that true compatibility is rare.
In this quote from Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing', Beatrice articulates her reluctance to marry, criticizing the nature of men as being made from 'earth' and not worthy of her affection. She implies that to submit to a man is to be 'overmastered' by something inferior, as she values individuality and strength over societal expectations of marriage, viewing her male counterparts as flawed and unworthy of a union with her.
Themes
RelationshipsMarriageIndividualityFeminismSelf-Worth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion on modern relationships and the importance of mutual respect.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes →Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
William ShakespeareRead
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
William ShakespeareRead
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
William ShakespeareRead
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
William ShakespeareRead
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
William ShakespeareRead
Similar quotes
Privacy is so sacred, and any time a victim is returned, a survivor is found and rescued, privacy is one of the greatest gifts we can give them because if they decide to share, that's up to them, and they will come forward.
Elizabeth SmartRead
All my life, I've stayed at parties too long because I didn't know when to go.
Katharine HepburnRead
I believe all people, regardless of sexual orientation, should be guaranteed the full rights to the legal benefits and responsibilities of marriage under the Constitution.
Tim KaineRead
You can't make homes out of human beings.
Warsan ShireRead
Here I was again tonight forcing laughter, faking smiles Same old tired, lonely place
Taylor SwiftRead
She was disappearing a little more each day, so thin, so frail, a wisp of smoke. One day she would surely vanish altogether, and there was no way to stop her.
Alice HoffmanRead