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
How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The awareness of opportunities to commit wrongdoing often leads to those wrongdoings being carried out.
This quote by William Shakespeare suggests that simply recognizing the means or opportunities to engage in immoral or unethical actions can propel individuals to commit those actions. It highlights a psychological phenomenon where the temptation of wrongdoing becomes stronger when the means to achieve it are visible, illustrating the inner struggle between moral choices and desires.
Themes
TemptationWrongdoingChoicesMoralityOpportunity
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on ethics, this quote can illustrate the moral dilemmas faced when presented with unethical opportunities.
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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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