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
The quality of mercy is not strained
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mercy is a natural and free act, not forced or constrained.
In this quote by Shakespeare, the speaker emphasizes that true mercy should come without coercion or requirement. It suggests that acts of kindness or compassion are most meaningful when they are given freely, reflecting the true nature of humanity and moral integrity. The aesthetic quality of mercy is likened to gentle rain, which falls upon both the just and unjust alike, illustrating the universal and unforced nature of true mercy.
Themes
MercyCompassionKindnessMoralityHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
During discussions about justice, one might invoke this quote to highlight the importance of mercy in legal systems.
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