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
Oft expectation fails, and most oft there where most it promises; and oft it hits where hope is coldest, and despair most fits.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Expectations often lead to disappointment, while unexpected outcomes can bring what is most desired.
This quote by William Shakespeare reflects the nature of human expectations and the irony that those things we hope for most can sometimes lead to failure, while outcomes we view with little hope can surprise us with their positivity. Shakespeare suggests that in life, what we anticipate does not always align with reality, highlighting the unpredictability of circumstances and the importance of maintaining an open mind.
Themes
ExpectationDisappointmentHopeLifeIrony
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about resilience and adapting to life changes.
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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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Writers are such phonies: they sometimes have wise insights but they don't live by them at all. That's what writers are like...you think they know something, but usually they are just messes.
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