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
Look to her, Moor, if thou has eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that one should be cautious in trusting others, especially in matters of love and relationships.
In this quote from Shakespeare's Othello, the speaker warns Othello about Desdemona's potential deceit, citing her previous trickery with her father. It underscores a theme of mistrust and betrayal in relationships and serves as a cautionary reminder that appearances can be deceptive, particularly in emotional ties.
Themes
DeceptionTrustRelationshipsCautionBetrayal
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on trust in relationships, one might quote this to illustrate the potential for deception.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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