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
Love is familiar. Love is a devil. There is no evil angel but Love." -
Interpretation
What this quote means
Love is a complex and often contradictory emotion that can bring both joy and suffering.
This quote by William Shakespeare reflects the multifaceted nature of love, depicting it as something that can feel both comforting and painful. The phrase suggests that love is not purely good or evil, but rather a mix of both, embodying familiar feelings while also carrying the potential for heartache, akin to a devil nestled within its angelic nature.
Themes
LoveEmotionComplexityRelationshipDuality
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding toast, one could use this quote to express the dual nature of love.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes →Love 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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