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
O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven
Interpretation
What this quote means
The speaker acknowledges the severity of their wrongdoing and the weight of guilt they feel.
This quote expresses a deep sense of remorse and recognition of the gravity of one's actions. By stating that the offense 'smells to heaven,' the speaker signifies that their guilt is so profound that it reaches the divine, suggesting a profound internal conflict and the need for redemption or forgiveness.
Themes
GuiltRemorseForgivenessRedemptionWrongdoing
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about guilt and forgiveness during a counseling session.
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