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
Presume not that I am the thing I was.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that one should not assume a person is the same as they were in the past.
In this quote, William Shakespeare implies that individuals are constantly evolving and changing over time. Therefore, it is important not to judge or define someone solely based on their past actions or identity, as people can grow, learn, and transform beyond their previous selves.
Themes
ChangeIdentityGrowthTransformationPast
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal growth and development.
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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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