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
We must love men, ere to us they will seem worthy of our love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We must first choose to love others for them to be deserving of our love in return.
This quote expresses the idea that love is a choice we make rather than a reaction to someone's worthiness. Shakespeare suggests that when we approach others with love and compassion, it influences how we perceive their character and value, creating a cycle of reciprocity in relationships.
Themes
LoveRelationshipsWorthinessCompassionReciprocity
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding ceremony to emphasize the importance of loving each other unconditionally.
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All quotes →Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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