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
For now they kill me with a living death.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the pain of emotional suffering that feels worse than actual death.
In this quote, Shakespeare portrays the torment of living in a state of despair or hopelessness, suggesting that the emotional anguish one can experience in life can be so profound that it feels akin to a living death. It evokes a deep sense of suffering and the struggle for existence when faced with overwhelming emotional turmoil.
Themes
SufferingEmotional PainDespairLifeDeath
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about mental health, one could say, 'As Shakespeare said, for now they kill me with a living death, highlighting the impact of depression on one's life.'
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