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 a smoke rais'd with the fume of sighs; being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears; what is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall, and a preserving sweet.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Love is complex and multifaceted, filled with both joy and pain.
In this quote from Shakespeare, love is depicted as an intricate blend of emotions and experiences. It is likened to smoke, suggesting its elusive and intangible nature, yet also to fire, symbolizing passion and intensity. The imagery of tears signifies the sorrow often associated with love, while the notion of love as 'madness' points to its consuming and often irrational characteristics. Ultimately, this quote encapsulates the duality of love as both pleasurable and painful, bringing forth a deep, multifaceted experience that defines human connection.
Themes
LoveEmotionsPassionSorrowIntimacy
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding speech to illustrate the complexities 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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